
■ vC*.* * its.' 




THE 

SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



— OF — 



DIVINE GRACE: 



Is it Unversalist, Arminian or Calvinistic? 



TEN PROPOSITIONS, 

BY 

RUFUS M. STANBROUGH. 




: : ^Fleming t)* TRcvcll 



CHICAGO : 
148 and 150 Madison Street. 



NEW YORK : 
12 Bible House, Aster Place. 



• : : publfebcr of levan^elical Xitcrature : : 



\- 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1889, by 

RUFUS M. STANBROUGH, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



The Library 
OF Congress 



WASHINGTON 



PREFACE. 

Cheerful acknowledgment is hereby made 
of help received from the published works of 
Prof. Charles Hodge, D. D., President Jon- 
athan Edwards, D. D., Rev. James B.Walker 
and others. 

In the interpretation of a book so large as 
the Bible, and which deals with such moment- 
ous themes, it is probably to be expected that 
there will not be complete unanimity. 

The author's preference among evangelical 
systems, with reasons therefor, is indicated 
under Proposition VII, in discussing Rom. 
v : i8, 19 ; I Cor. xv : 22^ and Eph. i : 10. As a 
help to the right understanding of one mo- 
mentous Bible theme — man's destiny under 
Divine dealing — this little book is sent forth 
like a ship on the wide ocean. May the bless- 
ing of the God of Truth accompany it, and 
make it an aid to the victory of Truth 
throughout all this happy American land. 

West Hurley, N. Y., Nov. i, 1889. 



CONTENTS, 



Propositions: (Abbreviated). Page. 

I. The Christ is the Judge of all mankind 8 

II. The judgment is distinct from that at Jerusalem ... lo 

III. The results of judgment are experienced after phys- 

ical death 29 

IV. In the judgment the Christ will be personally visible . . 55 

V. Before the judgment the deceased Saints will ex- 

perience a bodily resurrection; and living 
Christians a bodily transformation , 67 

VI. Before the judgment the wicked dead will Qxperience 

a bodily resurrection 83 

VII. The wicked will be condemned in the judgment 

which follows their bodily resurrection; and will 
never be restored to the favor of God 102 

VIII. Methods of Scriptural interpretation used by our 

doctrinal opponents are wrong; since those 
methods teach contradictory doctrines 259 

IX. The teachings of Nature do not favor the idea that 

mankind universally will attain unto hoHness and 
happiness 264 

X. Endless punishment of the impenitent wicked does 

not prove that God is unjust 277 



« 



5 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF DIVINE 

GRACE. 

Introductory. 

The subject that is now to be investigated, 
is one of vast importance to every human 
being. No one so lofty, no one so lowly as 
to remain unaffected, either in this present 
life or in the life beyond the grave, by the 
views which he cherishes respecting this 
vital matter. 

As opinions which a pilot holds concerning 
the currents and counter currents which bis 
ship is to meet, influence him to a specific 
mode of guiding the vessel and securing its 
safety, so the beliefs which possess the 
human soul exercise a powerful influence in 
determining the course which it shall choose 
among the breakers and the billows of the 
broad sea of life. If that sea be never swept 
by angry storms; if that sea be never white 
with wrathful waves ; if that sea never inclose 
with arms of death the deceived voyager 
who has trusted to its apparent calmness, 
then let the traveler upon it drink deep 

7 



8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

of the cup of fate, and take no thought 
of the perils of the morrow. But if its 
waves still toss the broken fragments of the 
wreck, and on its air there still is borne to the 
listening ear the sad wail of the sinking, let 
him w^ho is still to voyage on its treacher- 
ous surface, take some heed that his vessel 
be stanch — his pilot wise — his voyage safe 
and blessed. That there is need of fore- 
thought, that there is need of action, it is the 
purpose of these remarks to show. 

They will take the form of propositions, 
each one of which we shall endeavor by solid 
proof to sustain. 



Proposition I. The Scriptures teach that 
Jesus Christ has been appointed of God the 
Judge of the entire race of man. 

This truth Christ taught. He says in John 
v:22, 23, 27, "The Father judgeth no man, 
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; 
that all men should honor the Son even as 
they honor the Father. "^ "^ And hath 
given him authority to execute judgment also 
because he is the Son of man.'* 

This truth the apostles taught : Phil, ii: 9, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 9 



10, II, '' God hath also highly exalted him and 
given him a name which is above every name ; 
that at the name of Jesus every knee should 
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, 
and things under the earth ; and that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord, to the glory of God the Father/' 

This passage teaches that Christ's power 
as Judge extends also over the dead : for it 
is plain that in this life all knees do not bow 
at the name of Jesus, and all tongues do not 
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord ; therefore 
this bowing and confession must take place 
after death. Christ is Judge of the dead as 
well as of the living. 

This power of judgment is not limited to 
the Jews, but extends over all nations. Paul 
taught a future judgment to the men of 
Athens, Acts xvii:30, 31. ''God now com- 
mandeth all men everywhere, to repent, be- 
cause he hath appointed a day in the which 
he will judge the world in righteousness by 
that man w^hom he hath ordained ; whereof 
he hath given assurance unto all men, in that 
he hath raised him from the dead." 

This judgment will be as universal as the 
command to repent. And the command to 
repent reaches every sinner who hears of the 
gospel of Christ. 



lO THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Luke xxiv 147: '^ And that repentance and 
remission of sins should be preached in his 
name among all nations, beginning at Jeru- 
salem." This judgment is so universal as to 
include even those sinners who have been 
destitute of a written revelation, Rom. ii : 11, 
12, 16: "For there is no respect of persons 
with God. For as many as have sinned with- 
out law, shall also perish v/ithout law: and as 
many as have sinned in the law, shall be 
judged by the law, ^ ^ in the day when 
God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus 
Christ.'^ 



Proposition II. The Scriptures teach a com- 
ing of Christ to judgment distinct from his 
coming at the destruction of Jerusalem, 

The truth of this proposition is very evi- 
dent from the fact that the unbelieving Gen- 
tiles were not judged at the destruction of 
Jerusalem. 

Jerusalem was destroyed A. D. 70, but 
years before this the gospel of Christ had been 
preached at Rome and Corinth, at Galatia 
and Ephesus, at Thessalonica, Phillippi, 
Athens and elsewhere. And while there 



OF DIVINE GRACE. n 

were many believers, there were still great 
multitudes who remained impenitent and un- 
believing. For thirty-five years previous to 
the city's destruction, the faithful embassa- 
dors of Jesus had been preaching to the 
nations; and surely no one will affirm that all 
those throughout the nations who rejected 
the gospel of Christ, were gathered together 
at Jerusalem ?ix\d punished. And if they were 
not so gathered, then is there another com- 
ing of Christ than his coming at Jerusalem ; 
for the Scriptures clearly teach that the un- 
believing of the Gentiles are to be judged. 

The epistle to the Romans was written 
before the destruction of Jerusalem, and in 
the 2d chap. vs. 5-9 is as follows : '' But after 
thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest 
up unto thyself wrath against the day of 
wrath and revelation of the righteous judg- 
ment of God ; who will render to every man 
according to his deeds: to them who b}^ pa- 
tient continuance in well doing, seek for 
glory and honor, and immortality, eternal 
life: but unto them that are contentious and 
do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteous- 
ness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and 
anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth 
evil ; of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.'' 

Now as these unbelieving Gentiles must be 



12 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

judged, and were not judged at the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, it follows that there must 
be another coming of Christ to judgment dis- 
tinct from his coming at the fall of Jerusalem. 

To the Athenians also, Paul said, '* He 
will judge the world in righteousness, by that 
man whom he hath ordained." (Acts xvii : 31). 

We are taught also, that Felix, the Roman 
governor, trembled as Paul '^reasoned of right- 
eousness, temperance and judgment to come,*' 
(Acts xxiv:25). Surely the destruction of 
Jerusalem would not make a Roman gov- 
ernor tremble, when the destruction was to 
be wrought by the Romans themselves. 

The truth of this proposition is also evi- 
dent from the fact that the believing Gentiles 
were not judged at the fall of the doomed 
city. Many had already sealed with their 
life's blood the purity of their faith, and the 
strength of their lovej and their souls had 
passed to glory. They were not judged at 
the fall of the city. 

Nor were the churches of the believers at 
Corinth, Phillippi, Rome and Thessalonica, 
Galatia, Ephesus, and Colosse, judged at the 
fall of the city. Therefore there is another 
coming of Christ to judgment ; and one dis- 
tinct from his coming at the destruction of 
Jerusalem. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



13 



Very decisiye testimony against confining 
to the destruction of Jerusalem the coming 
of Christ to judgment, is contained in Matt, 
xxiv : 29-31, together with Mark xiii : 27, and 
Luke xxi : 35. 

Respecting these passages, two things are 
to be noticed. The first is, that special events 
are predicted to occur at or before the coming 
of the Son of man which did not occur at or 
before the destruction of Jerusalem. Matt, 
xxiv 131 is, '' And he shall send his angels with 
a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall 
gather his elect from the four winds, from 
one end of heaven to the other.'' Now at 
the destruction of Jerusalem there was no 
gathering of believers '' from one end of 
heaven to the other." If so, where is the 
proof ? None is to be found in sacred or pro- 
fane history. The Christians in Judea and 
especially Jerusalem, fled into the mountains, 
and some of them went into the little village 
of Pella ; but surely this does not fulfil the 
broad statement '^ from one end of heaven to 
the other." The parallel, Mark xiii : 27 is 
'* And then shall he send his angels, and shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, 
from the uttermost part of earth to the utter- 
most part of heaven." Here Christ plainly 
unites heaven with earth as a place from 



H 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



which the angels shall gather his elect. Now 
this does not at all suit the theory that the 
coming referred to took place at Jerusalem's 
destruction. But it does suit perfectly the idea 
that reference is had to a coming of Christ 
to judgment subsequent to that at Jerusalem 
and still future. For, at the still future com- 
ing to judgment, '* the dead in Christ shall 
rise first, then we which are alive and remain, 
shall be caught up together with them ; '' and 
" Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the 
prophets'' and those ''from the east and west, 
and from the north and south, shall sit down 
in the kingdom of God," while the wicked 
contemporaries of Christ shall be excluded. 
(I Thess. iv : i6, 17), (Luke xiii : 28, 29). 

They shall be gathered from the end of 
earth to the end of heaven. This of course, 
did not take place before nor at the fall of 
Jerusalem. 

Luke xxi:35 is, "For as a snare shall it 
come on all them that dwell on the face of 
the whole earth." It is not true that Christ's 
coming in providence, at the destruction of 
Jerusalem, came as a snare '' on all them that 
dwell on the face of the whole earth." It did 
not come as a snare to the Parthians, the 
Britons, the Celts, the Arabians, the Chinese, 
nor the][Africans. And doubtless, owing to 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



15 



the small facilities for communicating inform- 
ation, some of the distant tribes of the earth 
knew nothing- of the conflict between the 
Roman and the Jew. And therefore that 
coming of Christ in providence, could not 
come on them as a snare. 

The only nation on which the destruction 
of Jerusalem can be properly said to have 
come as a snare, is the Jewish nation. It did 
not come on the Romans as a snare. They 
planned it ; the}^ fought for it ; they rejoiced 
at its accomplishment. Nor on the neutral 
nations; but alone on the Jews. This, indeed, 
our doctrinal opponents seem to admit. Re- 
ferring to the destruction of Jerusalem, Rev. 
I. D. WilHamson, D. D. {Defence of Univ.* p, 
123), speaks of *' the Gentiles entering into 
that knowledge of God which is declared to 
be ' life eternal,* and the Jews going away 
into a state of perpetual chastisement, until 
the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." 

Now it is surely improper to affirm both 
that because of the destruction of Jerusalem 
the Gentiles entered into '' life eternal," and 
also that the same destruction of Jerusalem 
came on the Gentiles as a snare. The enter- 
ing into life eternal, is something desirable ; 
the coming of that day as a snare, is, in the 
mind of Christ, something to be shunned. 



1 6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

But if the destruction of Jerusalem came not 
on the Gentiles as a snare, then is there yet 
to be a coming of Christ which shall come as 
a snare ''on all them that dwell on the face 
of the whole earth." 

And yet further, since that day is to come 
as a snare "' on all them that dwell on the face 
•of the whole earth," therefore the command 
of Christ, "' Watch ye therefore, and pray 
alw^ays that ye ma}^ be accounted worthy to 
escape all these things that shall come to 
pass, and to stand before the Son of man," is 
given to Christians *' on the face of the whole 
earth." Bnt what need was there for a Chris- 
tian in China or Britain, or for the Ethiopian 
baptized by Philip, to watch and pray always 
lest he should experience suffering at the 
destruction of Jerusalem ? All the case de- 
manded was to keep away from the devoted 
city. And that the great multitude of Chris- 
tians would have done, had there been no re- 
vealed warning given. Christ certainly 
meant more by his '' watch and pray always" 
than '' keep away from Jerusalem." 

And respecting these passages, the second 
thing to be noticed is, that even if the special 
events predicted to occur at or before the 
coming of the Son of man did occur at or 
before the destruction of Jerusalem, yet still 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



17 



was there predicted to occur a coming of 
the Son of man subsequent to the destruction 
of the city, and which coming was to be 
attended or preceded by the same special 
events ; namely, the gathering of the elect 
from the end of earth to the end of heaven ; 
and the (day) coming as a snare on the face 
of all them that dwell on the face of the 
whole earth ; and the mourning of all the 
tribes of the earth. 

The prediction reads thus (Matt, xxiv : 29 
— 31), *' Immediately after the tribulation of 
those days, shall the sun be darkened, and 
the moon shall not give her light, and the 
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers 
of the heavens shall be shaken. And then 
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in 
heaven ; and then shall all the tribes of the 
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of 
man coming in the clouds of heaven with 
power and great glory. And he shall send 
his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, 
and they shall gather together his elect from 
the four winds, from one end of heaven to 
the other." 

Notice that after the tribulation of those 
days, occurs first, the darkening of sun and 
moon — the falling of the stars — and the shak- 
ing of the powers of heaven. 
2 



1 8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Notice that after the tribulation of those 
days, occurs second, the appearing of the sign 
of the Son of man in heaven. 

Notice that after the tribulation of those 
days, occurs tJiird, the mourning of all the 
tribes of the earth, their seeing the Son of 
man coming with power and great glory in 
the clouds of heaven, and the gathering by 
the angels, of the elect from one end of 
heaven to the other. 

Now since beyond all possibility of honest 
mistake by ordinary intelligence, this seeing 
the Son of man coming in the clouds of 
heaven is placed after the tribulation of those 
days, it becomes ver}^ important to ascertain 
what is meant by '*the tribulation of those 
days." 

And beyond all possibility of honest and 
intelligent doubt, the tribulation of those 
days was when the Roman armies were men- 
acing and destroying the Jewish city. For 
Christ says (Matt. xxiv:i5, i6, 19-22), 
'' When ye therefore shall see the abomina- 
tion of desolation spoken of by Daniel the 
prophet stand in the holy place, then let them 
which be in Judea flee into the mountains. 
■^^ " And wo unto them that are with child, 
and to them that give suck in those days. 
But pray ,ye that your flight be not in the 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



19 



winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For then 
shall be great tribulation such as was not 
since the ^ beginning of the world to this 
time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those 
days should be shortened there should no 
flesh be saved ; but for the elect's sake those 
days shall be shortened/* Clearly then the 
time of ''the tribulation of those days" is the 
time when the Roman armies were gathering 
and were gathered about the Jewish city ; 
that is, the time of Jerusalem's destruction. 

Now with this coming of the Son of man, 
^ thus clearly subsequent to the fall of Jerusa- 
lem, is connected the mourning oi all the 
tribes of the earth, and the gathering of the 
elect from one end of heaven to the other. 
x\nd therefore, even if it could be proved 
that there was a species of fulfilment of the 
events connected with the coming of the Son 
of man now being considered, at the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, it could only be a typical, 
a foreshadowing fulfillment of that subse- 
quent and grander coming when '' all the 
tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall 
see the Son of man coming in the clouds of 
heaven with power and great glory." 

As an objection to this interpretation, 
which asserts a special coming of Christ to 
judgment subsequent to the destruction of 



20 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Jerusalem, the words of Christ in Matt, xxiv : 
34, have been presented, '' Verily I say unto 
you, this generation shall not pass* away till 
all these things be fulfilled." 

Those who present this objection would 
restrict the duration of '' this generation" to 
the duration of the lives of Christ^s contem- 
poraries — to one link in the series of the 
human race. 

This necessarily forbids a prediction by the 
previous passages, of a coming of Christ to 
special judgment subsequent to the fall of 
Jerusalem, unless the coming at Jerusalem, 
while actual, might also be typical, and not 
complete and final. Then Christ says. This 
one of the series of generations, shall not 
pass away till my coming at Jerusalem's de- 
struction shall be actually fulfilled, and my 
coming subsequent to that be typicall}' ful- 
filled. This principle of typical interpre- 
tation is really applicable to prophecies of 
Scripture, or both Universalist and Orthodox 
have erred in the same manner in the inter- 
pretation of the prophecies of Daniel. For 
both have referred the *' abomination of des- 
olation" spoken of by that prophet to Anti- 
ochus Epiphanes, the fierce persecutor of the 
Jews ; yet Christ undoubtedly refers that 
same abomination of desolation to events 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 21 

occurring in close connection with a then 
future fall of Jerusalem. And by this same 
principle so eminent a theologian as Ols- 
hausen explains Matt, xxiv : 34. His words 
are ** View the prophecy with reference to 
the immediate present, but in such a manner, 
that everything includes a further reference 
to the future/' That there must be this ref- 
erence to the future if ''this generation" 
means only the earth-life of Christ's contem- 
poraries, is clearly shown b}^ the indisputable 
fact that the coming of Christ spoken of, 
occurs after the destruction of Jerusalem. 
But there is no necessity whatever for limit- 
ing the duration of '' this generation" to that 
of a single link in the human series. 

The classical meaning of the original word 
(genea) as given in Greek lexicons is birth, 
race, generation, family. In the following 
quotations from Homer wherever the word 
race occurs, it is the translation of the word 
in question, (genea): 

Od, 16, 117. ''For thus hath the son of 
Saturn made our race single ; Arcesius begot 
an only son, Laertes, his father again begot 
Ulysses alone ; but Ulysses having begot me 
alone, left me in the palace." 

Od. 20, 193. " What stranger is this, O 
swineherd, that has lately come to our house .^ 



22 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

from what men does he boast himself to be ? 
where are his race and paternal country?'* 

Od, 15,175. '' As this (eagle) coming from 
the mountains, where is its race and birth, 
snatched away the goose which had been 
nurtured deUcately in the house ; so Ulysses" 
etc., etc. 

//. 6,211. In reply to a question respect- 
ing his race, Glaucus, after mentioning the 
names of his paternal ancestors for five gen- 
erations, says, '' From this race and blood do 
I boast m3^self to be.'' 

//. 10, 68. Agamemnon directing Menelaus, 
says, ''Shout aloud whithersoever thou goest, 
and enjoin them to be watchful, accosting 
each man by a name from his paternal race, 
honorably addressing all." 

//. 5, 265. Speaking of the horses of 
^neas, Diomede says, '' They are of that 
breed which far-seeing Jove gave as a price 
to Taos for his son Ganymede ; wherefore 
they are the best of steeds." In this last quo- 
tation, breed is a translation of the word in 
question (genea). Respecting the accuracy 
of the translation of the word in these quo- 
tations, no question can be successlully raised. 
Not only are the quotations from the literal 
and standard translations of T. A. Buckley, 
but the connection in which the word stands. 



OF DiVlNB GRACE. 



23 
-i 



also evidences the accuracy of its translation. 
In the Septuag-int the word (genea) is used to 
translate the Hebrew mishpachah, which 
means a family, a nation, as in Lev. xxv : 41, 
Jer. viii:3 ; and also ham, which means a 
people, a nation, as in Lev. xx: 18. 

In the New Testament Christ himself, in 
Luke xvi:8, uses the word in a sense which 
requires a length of time equal to the dura- 
tion of a race ; and which sense is equivalent 
to that of kind or race. He says, *^ The chil- 
dren of this world are wiser in their gen- 
eration (genea) than the children of light." 
Here Christ affirms or implies that the chil- 
dren of this world have a ''generation,'' and 
also that the children of light have a ''gener- 
ation." And the word is in the singular 
number. Now the generation of the children 
of this world endures as long as the children 
of this world endure. And also the g-ener- 
ation of the children of light endures as long 
as the children of light endure. The gener- 
ation of each class has endured until the 
nineteenth century, and will endure until 
Christ's future and visible coming. And 
now so far from being compelled in our 
translation of " generation " (genea) as oc- 
curring in Matt. xxiv:34 to limit its meaning 
to that i>f a single Jink in the human series, 



24 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



we have in addition two plain, honest mean- 
ings from which to choose. With light 
from the classics and the Septuagint we may 
interpret the word as meaning race, people, 
family, nation ; and understand Christ as re- 
ferring it to the Jewish nation; or with 
Christ himself in Luke xvi:8 attaching to the 
word a moral idea we may understand Him 
to refer to His believing followers, to the 
race — the family of Christians. Christ cer- 
tainly sometimes spake with a meaning 
which was hidden from careless hearers. 
When He said, '' Destroy this temple and in 
three days I will raiseit up," He was under- 
stood to mean the Jewish temple, but an un- 
questionable authority informs us that '* He 
spake of the temple of His body." And just 
as in the one case Christ spoke of a really 
spiritual temple, so in the other case He may 
have spoken of a spiritual generation. 

So far as Christ's still future coming to a 
special judgment of the nations is concerned, 
it is immaterial whether he be understood 
to refer to the Jewish race or to Christians. 
But so long as in the classics, the Septu- 
agint, and the New Testament, the word has 
a meaning extending beyond that of a single 
link in the human chain, it is most certainly 
unreasonable to affirm that in Matt. xxiv:34. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



25 



when there is nothing in the context to de- 
mand it, the word in question must be inter- 
preted to mean but a single link in the series. 
And therefore, when Christ says, ''This gen- 
eration (genea) shall not pass away till all 
these things be fulfilled," He presents no 
argument whatever against His coming to 
a special judgment of the nations subse- 
quent to the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Now let us notice a statement of Christ 
in Luke xxi:24: "And Jerusalem shall be 
trodden down of the Gentiles until the times 
of the Gentiles be fulfilled." 

Now, beyond all question, the times of the 
Gentiles have not yet been fulfilled. And the 
same principle of strict interpretation by 
which our doctrinal opponents (though in 
vain) would confine the time of the events to 
the duration of a single generation, binds 
them to include in the " all things " to be ful- 
filled the duration of time which is used in 
fulfilling " the times of the Gentiles." ''Jeru- 
salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles 
tintil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled^ 
Now since this length of time is one of the 
things, and is therefore included in the " all 
things " to be fulfilled, and since " the times 
of the Gentiles are not yet fulfilled, "it fol- 
lows of necessity that the prediction of Christ 



26 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

is untrue. To such a deplorable issue does 
that interpretation conduct which would 
confine the " this generation" in question to 
a single link in the human series. 

It is a correct and well understood prin- 
ciple of interpretation that a particular word 
or phrase in any sentence means not what that 
word or phrase means when used in other con- 
nections, but what it means in the connection 
in which it stands. When a venerable Pres- 
ident at Yale or Princeton addresses a per- 
haps wayward youth as, '' My son," etc., he is, 
of course, not to be understood as referring 
to a blood relationship, simply because he 
uses the words *' my son." And 3^et these 
words as generally used do express that re- 
lationship. When a Catholic refers to his 
parish priest asj' father," he is, of course, not 
to be understood as referring to a blood 
relationship simply because he uses the word 
**father." And yet that word as generally 
used does express that relationship. In the 
cases specified, though the words ** my son'' 
and *'father"are not used in their primary 
but in a derived meaning, vet is that derived 
meaning perfectly legitimate. The meaning 
of the words is determined by the connection 
in which they stand. Another correct and 
well understood principle of interpretation' 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



27 



is, that when a person of admitted intelli- 
gence and truthfulness uses a word of two 
meanings, and the word in one meaning con- 
flicts with his intelligence or truthfulness, and 
in the other meaning does not thus conflict, 
it must be understood in that meaning which 
harmonizes with his intelligence and truth- 
fulness. 
' Now put together these facts : 

The word in question has different mean- 
ings. The intelligence and truthfulness of 
Christ no Christian denies. 

The prediction undeniably includes at 
least a single particular which has not yet 
been fulfilled. 

The understanding of the word in one of 
its meanings conflicts with the intelligence or 
truthfulness of Christ. 

The understanding of the word in another 
of its meanings, harmonizes with the intelli- 
gence and truthfulness of Christ. And now 
in view of these facts when the question 
arises what meaning, shall we attribute to 
''generation" (genea) in Matt. xxi\:34, will 
an}^ believer in Christianity hesitate to answer 
— the word in question mitst have that mean- 
ing attributed to it which harmonizes with 
the intelligence and truthfulness of Christ. 
And that meaning is, not a single link in the 



28 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

human series, but a race, a people, a family. 

And now in closing our remarks on *'this 
generation'' we may state that there is no im- 
propriety in supposing that Christ may have 
with wise and benevolent design, employed a 
word which means either a single generation 
or a race. His purpose in the prediction was 
to make his followers watchful and prayerful. 
And the very fact that the word is applicable 
to different lengths of time is adapted to pro- 
mote the accomplishment of that purpose. 
Had it meant only a single generation it would 
for all time subsequent to that generation 
have tended to diminish faith and zeal. Had 
it meant only a race, it might have tended to 
slacken the watchfulness and prayer of all 
primitive Christians who did not believe 
in the speedy extinction of the Jewish or 
Christian people. 

Neither God nor Christ revealed to the 
disciples all truth whatsoever, but that 
which was for their good. Christ himself 
tells them, ''But of that day and hour know- 
eth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but 
my Father only. ' Now this very uncertainty 
of the time, as any one may see, is adapted 
to quicken effort in all generations except 
that nearest to the fulfilment of the coming. 
And thus to stimulate successive generations 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 29 



we may reasonably conclude that Christ de- 
signedly used a word capable of indicating 
different lengths of time. 



Proposition IIL The Scriptures teach a com- 
ing of Christ to judgment not only distinct 
from, his coming at the destruction of Jeru- 
salem^ but also distinct from his coming i?i the 
judgments of the present earthly life ; a judg- 
ment, the results of which are experienced after 
physical death. 

This is true of believers and unbelievers. 
First, of believers : 

Paul teaches this in II Tim. iv:6-8. He 
says : '' I am now ready to be offered, and 
the time of my departure is at hand. I have 
fought a good fight, I have finished my course. 
I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid 
up for me a crown of righteousness which the 
Lord, the righteous Judge shall give meat 
that day ; and not to me only, but unto all 
them also that love his appearing." 

Paul is now near to death — and near to 
death for Jesus' sake. He considered his 
course as finished, and he tells Timothy and 
us that henceforth there is *' laid up," reserved, 



30 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

kept safe, not now given, but '' laid up " for 
him a crown of righteousness. x\nd this 
crown of righteousness was to be given at a 
future da}^; '' which the righteous Judge ^/^^// 
give me at that da}'/' Plainly at a day 
subsequent to his own death. And plainly 
also, Paul considers that there is a connection 
between his conduct in the earthly life and 
his receiving, in the life beyond the grave, 
the crown of righteousness. He mentions 
his good conduct. He fought well, he kept 
the faith, he was to die for Jesus' sake ; after 
that there was laid up a reward which he 
would receive at a subsequent day. 

This reward was also to be given by a 
righteous judge. Now a righteous judge is 
one who judges righteously ; not one who is 
indifferent to right and wrong, but one who 
approves the right, and condemns the wrong. 
Therefore, Paul's crown of righteousness, to 
be received from the righteous Judge, is given 
in consequence of his righteous conduct, 
which the judge approves and rewards. 

Where in all God's revelations is there lan- 
guage like this ? '* I have been a blasphemer 
and a persecutor. I am still impenitent and 
wicked and am about to die, hating man and 
unreconciled to God ; henceforth there is laid 
up for me a crown of rig-hteousness which 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



31 



the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me 
at that da}'." Does it not shock every senti- 
ment of the Christian heart? 

Yet just this is the teaching of those who 
deny a connection between faith and holiness 
in this life, and the reward of blessedness in 
the life to come. 

*'He that justifieth the wicked, and he that 
condemneth the just, even they both are 
abomination to the Lord." (Prov. xviiiij.) 

Let us look at Scripture testimony in the 
case of another eminent man, Moses, the Jew- 
ish lawgiver. We find it in Heb. xi:24-27. 
'' By faith Moses, when he was come to years, 
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's 
daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction 
with the people of God, than to enjoy the 
pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the 
reproach of Christ greater riches than the 
treasures in Egypt ; for he had respect unto 
the recompense of reward." 

Affliction with the people of God rather 
than the pleasures of sin for a season. His 
good choice and work lasting through life, 
and evidently not receiving the reward on 
earth. The same with his esteeming the 
reproach of Christ greater riches than the 
treasures in Egypt. His recompense of re- 
ward was beyond the grave. He died even 



32 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



before entering the land of promise. Some- 
thing of that recompense of reward we learn 
in the Gospels. Luke ix:28-3i. "Jesus took 
Peter and John and James, and went up into 
a mountain to pray. And as he prayed the 
fashion of his countenance was altered, and 
his raiment was white and glistering. And 
behold there talked with him two men which 
were Moses and Elias ; who appeared in 
glory, and spake of his decease which he 
should accomplish at Jerusalem." This was 
a part of that recompense of reward unto 
which Moses had respect. 

Among the instances of believers, let us 
take Christ himself. Phil, iiiz-g. '* Christ Jesus 
made himself of no reputation, and took upon 
himself the form of a servant, and was made 
in the likeness of men; and being found in 
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and 
became obedient unto death, even the death 
of the cross, Wherefore God also hath highl}^ 
exalted him, and given him a name which is 
above every name." That is on account of 
Chrisjt^s voluntary humiliation and death, and 
after his death God highly exalted him. And 
furthermore, Christ is commended unto be- 
lievers as an example in this very particular 
of future reward. 

Heb. xii:i, 2. " Let us run with patience 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



33 



the race that is set before us, looking unto 
Jesus the author and finisher of faith ; who 
for the joy that was set before hint endured the 
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at 
the right hand of the throne of God." 

Here we have the assertion that Jesus '' for 
the joy that was set before him, endured the 
cross." Now Jesus endured the cross until 
the last moment of his life ; and the enduring 
of the cross was a means to an end ; conse- 
quently the means must be used before the 
gaining of the end, and therefore the end 
which was '' the joy set before him " w^as not 
gained until life was extinct. 

And plainl}^ as language can teach it, we 
are taught a connection between the conduct 
of Jesus in the life on earth, and the reward of 
Jesus in the life subsequent to bodily death. 
How can the force of this plain teaching be 
^ avoided ? The only possible method is to 
affirm that in this particular Jesus differed 
from other men. We ask for the Scriptural 
proof. Those who would make such an 
affirmation deny the Saviour's divinity and 
affirm him to be a mere man. If a mere man, 
then other mere men hold the same relation to 
the laws of God as he. And if there be in 
Jesus' case a connection between conduct on 
earth and reward in the future world, then 

3 



34 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



most certainly the same conneclion holds in 
the case of other men. 

In Heb. xi:35, is also taught a conneclion 
between conduct in this life and reward in 
the next. 

'•Women received their dead raised to life. 
Others were tortured not accepting deliver- 
ance, that they might obtain a better resur- 
rection." 

There are different resurrections — national, 
reputatibnal, moral, universal, or such as all 
mankind must experience subsequent to bodily 
death, and the resurrection unto the glories 
and bliss of the future life, which all believers 
are to experience. 

Which of these different resurrections does 
the apostle mean by the^'better resurrection'? 

Not national, for he is not speaking of 
nations but of individuals ; not reputational, 
for these ancient heroes all lived by faith and 
Moses among them ''esteemed the reproach of 
Christ greater riches than the treasures of 
Egypt." 

Not moral, for those who were tortured not 
accepting deliverance, were believers, and 
already possessed the moral resurrection. 

Not the universal resurrection which all 
mankind must experience subsequent to 
bodily death ; for if all must experience that 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



35 



independent of moral conduct, what need of 
undergoing torture (even luito death) to 
obtain it ? 

And we are shut up to the conclusion that 
by the '' better resurrection" the apostle 
means the resurrection of the faithful unto 
the glories and bliss of the future world, a 
"better resurrection" from which the unfaith- 
ful and wicked are excluded. 

Having now advanced Scriptural proof 
abundantly sufficient to convince any impar- 
tial mind that there is a connection between 
the conduct of believers in this life and their 
condition beyond the grave, we proceed to 
show that the same connection exists in the 
case of the unbelieving and the \vicked. 

This truth Christ teaches in Luke xii:4, 5 : 
"' And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid 
of them that kill the body, and after that 
have no more that the}^ can do. But I will 
forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him, 
which after he hath killed hath power to cast 
into hell ; yea, I say unto you. Fear him." 

Christ teaches mankind here that there is a 
being who after he hath killed has power to 
cast into hell. And that they should fear this 
being more than they fear them who can do 
nothing more, cause no more suffering, after 
they have killed the body. 



36 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Now it is trifling to affirm that, though the 
being spoken of possesses the power to cast 
the soul into hell, yet he will never, he can 
never, exercise that power. The ability to 
exercise that power is the very basis of the 
warning. If he under all circumstances, 
never can or never will exercise the power, 
the warning loses all its force. Who fears a 
cannon that never shoots — a sword that never 
smites, a law that never punishes? Had these 
friends of Christ to whom the warning was 
given understood that the power of casting 
into hell would never or could never be ex- 
ercised, the warning might just as well have 
never been spoken. And really it would 
have been no warning, but a simple state- 
ment of tlie possession of the power. 

A warning always implies, if no precaution 
is taken, a danger of the occurrence of that 
event against which the warning is given. 
And if moral obligation, or any cause what- 
ever, perpetually prevent the exercise of the 
power of casting into hell after death, then 
the warning of Christ is no warning at all. 
But as He calls it a warning, and as He is a 
teacher of truth and not of error, therefore, 
if the warning be not heeded, the event 
against which the warning is given will 
assuredly happen. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



37 



This truth Christ teaches also in Matt. 
xxvi:24: "The Son of man goeth as it is 
written of him: but wo unto that man by 
whom the Son of man is betrayed ! It had 
been good for that man if he had not been 
born." 

The woe pronounced upon Judas was be- 
cause of his betrayal of Jesus. After the 
commission of that great crime he experienced 
remorse of conscience, gave back the price of 
his wickedness, and went and hanged him- 
self. These events can b}^ no means fulfil 
the terribleness of that saying : '' It had been 
good for that man if he had not been born.'' 
They w^ere all experienced probabl}^ in less 
than twenty-four hours after the betrayal. 
The betrayal occurred at night — the con- 
demnation the next day. And '' then Judas, 
when he saw that He was condemned, re- 
pented himself, and brought again the thirty 
pieces of silver to the chief priests and 
elders, * -^^ -^ and cast down the pieces 
of silver in the temple, and went and hanged 
himself." (Matt. xxvii:3, 5.) 

Surely, if all the woe of Judas was expe- 
rienced in the brief space of time between 
the betrayal and the hanging; and if, after 
death, his soul, or soul and body united, 
enjoy a bliss that is everlasting, then the 



38 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

words of Jesus teach not truth but error. 
To make these words truthful it is absolutely 
necessary that, the whole existence of Judas 
Iscariot considered, his misery exceed his 
happiness. This certainly carries the misery 
of Judas into, and a long way into, the world 
that is eternal. 

On this passage Olshausen remarks: ''The 
form of execration (kalon een auto, etc.,) is an 
expression signifying the deepest apostacy, 
and utter perdition. It is so strong that it 
intimates the exclusion of every hope. For 
although eternal life is to be won afterward, 
yet must the mere fact of being born be a 
benefit." 

Krummacher says: ''This inscription 
placed over the grave of his unhappy dis- 
ciple by the Lord himself is the most fearful 
and affrighting vitterance of the whole Bible." 
And when we remember that Jesus said, Let 
your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay : 
for whatsoever is more than these cometh of 
evil, it gives increased force to the con- 
viction that Jesus then taught a strict literal 
truth. 

The fact also that our Lord terms Judas 
"the son of perdition," and affirms that he is 
lost (John xvii:i2), teaches that there is con- 
demnation in the future world. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



39 



The teaching of Jesus in regard to persons 
who die in their sins, clearly proves a state 
of condemnation beyond the grave. In John 
viii:2i he says, '' I go my way, and ye shall 
seek me, and shall die in your sins : whither 
I go ye cannot come." 

After their death in sin they could not go 
where Jesus had gone. Now, Christ rep- 
resents himself as going after death unto the 
heavenl}^ Father, saying in John xviiiii: 
''And now I am no more in the world, but 
these (disciples) are in the world, and I come 
to thee." And to the thief upon the cross he 
also said : '' To-da}' shalt thou be with me in 
paradise." (Luke xxiii:43.) 

These statements leave no doubt as to 
where Jesus went at death. Christ went to 
the heavenly Father ; where did they go to 
whom he said : '' Whither 1 go ye cannot 
come." Christ also said of these : '' Ye are 
of your father the devil, and the lusts of your 
father ye will do." Now if they were chil- 
dren of the devil and were to die " in their 
sins " we are shut up to the belief that they 
would not at death enter heaven, the moral 
character of whose inhabitants is so different 
from theirs; "for whither I go ye cannot 
come," and " without holiness no man shall 
see the Lord." Now, if thev did not enter 



^o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

heaven, they must, since souls are conscious 
after bodily death, have entered some place 
inferior to heaven — a place doubtless of con- 
demnation and punishment. 

"Let us now examine some of the teachings 
of the apostles of Christ. 

In 1 Cor. ix:26, 27, Paul states of himself, 
*' So fight I not as one that beateth the air ; 
but I keep under my body and bring it into 
subjection ; lest that by any means, when I 
have preached to others, I m3^self should be 
a castaway." 

He pursues a certain course of life in 
order that he may not be a castaway — not be 
disapproved. 

Now it was God that was to approve or 
disapprove of him, for he says, ^4t is a very 
small thing that I should be judged of you or 
of man's judgment; "^^ - he that judgeth 
me is the Lord." (1 Cor. iv:3, 4.) 

When was this approval or disapproval to 
occur? It was to occur after Paul had 
preached to others. Lest (keeruxas) having 
preached, the preaching is considered as past. 
Now PauFs preaching continued, and he ex- 
pected it to continue until his death. 

Therefore as the preaching was to continue 
until death, and the decision was to be ren- 
dered after the preaching was finished, it fol- 



OF DIVINE GRACE 



41 



lows that the decision was to be rendered 
after the death of the apostle. And thus by 
his conduct and belief the apostle teaches that 
there is a judgment after death. 

The same truth is taught in Heb. x:28, 29: 
*' He that despised Moses' law died without 
merc}^ under two or three witnesses; of how 
much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he 
be thought worthy who hath trodden under 
foot the Son of God, and counted the blood 
of the covenant, wherewith he was sanc- 
tified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite 
unto the Spirit of grace?" 

The punishment of the contemners of the 
blood of the new covenant, and despisers of 
the Spirit of grace is to be sorer than death 
*' without mercy." And this punishment is 
sure to come, for '' vengeance belongeth 
unto me ; I will recompense, saith the Lord." 
(Heb. x:30.) Now it is a matter of common 
observation that the above mentioned sin- 
ners do not in this life experience a punish- 
ment sorer than death without mercy. Multi- 
tudes of them are in the enjoyment of so much 
earthly comfort as to prefer their condition by 
far to that of death without mercv. And 
thus the}^ continue until death comes. 
Therefore, as their punishment is to be sorer 
than death without mercy, it must be meted 



42 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



out to them subsequent to their physical 
death. 

The same truth is taught in Heb. ix:27,28. 
'' And as it is appointed unto the men once to 
die, but after this, judgment ; so the Christ 
was once offered to bear the sins of many, and 
unto them that look for him shall he appear the 
second time, without sin unto salvation." 

Inasmuch as some Universalists claim that 
the insertion of the article before ** men," 
which is omitted in the English version, 
would be in their favor, we have inserted it 
as above. We have also inserted the article, 
which in the Greek occurs before Christ, just 
as above. Now it seems plainly evident that 
the writer inserts the article before both 
''men" and ''Christ" to indicate that these 
parties are considered as possessing a rela- 
tion to each other. He says : '*As the men 
die once, so the Christ was offered once. 
Now since the object of the article is to indi- 
cate the existence of a relation between these 
two parties, therefore, the "men," so far as 
the force of the article is concerned, may be 
as numerous as the men for whom Christ 
died. For a relation certainly exists between 
Christ and all for whom he died." 

On this passage "The Ambassador " (April 
6, 1867), says: " The Universalist exposition 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 43 

in brief is this : The men appointed to die 
were ^ '" the priests under the law ; the 
death was by proxy, ^^ '^ and the judg- 
ment which followed was to justification, not 
to condemnation. ^' ^ And for an analogous 
purpose that of justification and redemption, 
Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant, 
was ' appointed ' to die to bear the sins of 
man3^ Such an exposition accords zvith the 
scope of the chapter^ and it gives a meaning 
to the words ' as ' and ' so ' in the passage. 
But the orthodox exposition violently 
wrenches the passage away from the scope of 
the chapter, and makes meaningless the two 
words named.'' 

Rev. J. M. Austin (Debate on Endless Pun- 
ishment, p. 658), thus understands the passage : 
" As it is appointed unto men (Jewish High 
Priests) once to die (once a year to die sacri- 
ficially), but after this the judgment (/. e,, the 
decision which they brought from God of 
approbation or disapprobation of the proceed- 
ings of the Jews), so Christ was once offered 
to bear the sins of manv. 

Thus both the death (which is not real but 
figurative) and the subsequent judgment are 
affirmed to consist solely of the events of the 
Jewish temple service. The Orthodox, on 
the other hand, consider the '' men " to be 



44 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



men in general ; the death, physical ; and the 
judgment one which occurs subsequent to 
physical death. 

Let us now test the agreement of these two 
interpretations with our passage. 

It is plain from the passage and both par- 
ties are agreed, that *' the men " are appointed 
to die once, and that the Christ was offered 
once ; that the judgment occurs after the 
death of the men, and that the Christ is to 
appear unto salvation after his physical death. 
Let us now incorporate into the sentence 
such words as will make it undeniably assert 
the orthodox interpretation ; and notice the 
result. And as it is appointed unto men in 
general to die once physically, but after this 
death there is judgment, so Christ was once 
offered to bear the sins of many, and shall ap- 
pear unto them that look for him the second 
time, without sin, unto salvation." 

Here the words ''as" and ''so" are not 
meaningless since they perform the same office 
as in the passage, Heb. ix:27, 28. In that pass- 
age they are used to introduce a resemblance 
between the death of the men, and the death 
of Christ. And that resemblance consists in 
the fact that each death occurs once, and no 
more than once. In the sentence which we 
have so shaped as to accord with the orthodox 



OF DIVINE GRACE, ^^ 



understanding of the passage- they are used 
to introduce a resemblance between the death 
of men and the death of Christ. And that 
resemblance consists in the fact that each 
occurs once, and no more than once. Their 
use in the two sentences is the same. The 
fact that the orthodox exposition asserts a 
judgment after the death of the men, makes 
no difference in regard to the use of the two 
words, since Heb. ix:27, 28 also asserts a judg- 
ment after the death of the men. Neither 
does the fact that the judgment brings danger, 
and Christ's appearing brings rescue from 
danger — and that these are opposites — make 
any difference in regard to the use of the two 
words, since in the parallel of I Cor. xv:22, 
'' As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall 
all be made alive," the death in Adam and 
the life in Christ are opposites. 

Let us now endeavor to ascertain whether 
the statements of the orthodox exposition are 
in accordance with truth.. The one death of 
men — the one death of Christ — the appearing 
of Christ after his death for the salvation of 
his people— no Christian will den3^ Now, if 
the other statement — the danger after death 
of condemnation before God — be denied, then 
all those who deny that danger are compelled 
because of that denial to abandon all proof of 



46 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

salvation after- death, so far as that proof is 
drawn from the work which God has assigned 
to Christ. For it is as plain as the light of 
day that if there be no danger of condemna- 
tion beyond physical death, then Christ can- 
not save from condemnation beyond physical 
death. 

Salvation necessarily implies a danger from 
which to be saved. This dilemma then pre- 
sents itself to Universalists. After ph3^sical 
death there is a danger from which Christ 
saves men, or there is not. If there be, then 
all the statements of the Orthodox exposition 
are in accordance with truth. If there be 
not, then Christ saves no man after physical 
death; and Universalists must relinquish all 
hope of, and argument for, a final salvation 
through Christ. i\nd since the only final sal- 
vation which the Bible teaches, is that which 
comes through Christ, they must also discard 
the Bible itself as furnishing proof of a final 
salvation. But since Universalists do hold 
that the Bible furnishes proof of a final salva- 
tion, they must therefore admit the danger of 
condemnation in a judgment subsequent to 
death. Thus they must admit that all the 
four statements of the Orthodox exposition 
are true. And if these statements be admitted 
to be true, then it matters nothing at all in 



OF DIVINE GRACE. ^y 



the controversy whether the one exposition 
or the other be correct ; since the only pur- 
pose for which the passage is introduced, is 
to show that a certain one of those statements 
is true. 

Let us now attend to the Universalist ex- 
position, and see whether it preserves the 
resemblance introduced by '^as'' and "so." 
As has already been stated, it is plain from 
the passage, and both parties are agreed, that 
the men are said to die once, and the Christ 
is said to be offered once. The resemblance 
then is, that each event spoken of occurs 
once. 

Notice now how the writer of the Hebrews 
dwells on the fact that Christ's offering was 
made once, and no more than once. In verse 
12 he says: ''Neither by the blood of goats 
and calves, but by his own blood, he entered 
in once into the holy place.'' In verse 26, 
'' But now once in the end of the world hath 
he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice 
of himself." In verse 28, '' So Christ was 
once offered to bear the sins of many." In 
chapter 10, verse 10, he says : '' By the which 
will we are sanctified through the offering of 
the body of Jesus Christ once." In v. 12, 
'' But this man after he had offered one sacri- 
fice for ^ins forever sat down on the right 



48 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



hand of God." In v. 14, " For by one offer- 
ing he hath perfected forever them that are 
sanctified.'' Now, from these repeated affir- 
mations, one can not avoid seeing that accord- 
ing to the mind of the writer Christ was 
offered in sacrifice but once. And since the 
writer represents Christ as being offered but 
once, he must also be regarded as represent- 
ing in the resemblance ''the men'* as dying 
but once, thus : As the men die but once, so 
the Christ was offered but once. And should 
the writer's own statements make it evident 
that he considers the offering of the High 
Priests as being made not once only but often, 
then it is plainly manifest that he would not 
and could not consistently represent the 
Christ in being offered once as resembling 
the High Priests in their being offered often. 
Since " once " and '' often " are not similar, but 
dissimilar. 

Now, the writer's own statements do plainl}' 
show that he considers the offering of the 
High Priest as being made not once only, but 
often. 

He says (x*i--3) just after the passage in 
consideration: "For the law "' '^ can 
never with those sacrifices which they offered 
year by year continually, make the comers 
thereunto perfect. For then would the)^ not 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



49 



have ceased to be offered ? because that the 
worshipers once purged should have no more 
conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices 
there is a remembrance again made of sins 
every year." 

Just before the passage in consideration he 
says (vs. 25, 26), ''Nor yet that he (Christ) 
should offer himself often as the high priest 
entereth into the holy place every year with 
blood of others ; for then must he often have 
suffered since the foundation of the world." 
These affirmations of the writer of Hebrews 
prove beyond all doubt that he considers the 
offering of the High Priest as occurring not 
once but often. And since he does so con- 
sider he would not, and could not consis- 
tently, represent the Christ in being offered 
once as resembling the High Priests in their 
being offered often. For ''once" and "often" 
are not similar but dissimilar. Who can tell 
the office which "as" and "so" serve in the 
following sentence — ''As it is appointed unto 
the High Priests to die often, so Christ was 
offered once." And yet if "the men" signif}^ 
" the High Priests," we must suppose that the 
inspired author of Hebrews considered as 
legitimate such a sentence and resemblance 
as that. 

That "the men" do not signify Jewish High 

4 



50 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Priests ma\^ also be shown by another 
method. I( "men" stands for "High Priests" 
more than one High Priest must of course be 
meant. High Priests in succession from the 
institution of the Levitical Priesthood down 
to the sacrifice of Christ, must be intended. 
And since but one High Priest officiated at a 
single offering, more than one High Priest 
implies of necessity that the offering is made 
more than once. And since the Levitical 
High Priesthood existed some fifteen hun- 
dred years previous to the death of Christ, 
and for nearly the whole of that time offered 
the yearly offering, that offering was of course 
repeated nearh' fifteen hundred times. 

Now when the design of the author was to 
state a resemblance to the Christ offered but 
once, who can see the reasonableness of his 
sa3nng ''men" instead of ''man," or " High 
Priests" instead of "High Priest," so long as 
the officiating of more than one High Priest 
makes certain a repetition of the offering and 
thus destroys its power to furnish a resem- 
blance to the Christ as offered but once. 
Restricted to a single High Priest and a* sin- 
gle year, the offering of the High Priest 
w^ould occur but once; and might be used to 
furnish a resemblance to the once offering of 
the Christ; but cannot be so used when 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



51 



reference is had to more High Priests than 
one or to more years than one. OurUniver- 
saHst friends appear to forget that ''once every 
year" and '* year by year continually" mean 
twice in two years and a thousand times in a 
thousand years. 

Still further, no one would think of claim- 
ing that the offering of Christ but once, finds 
a resemblance in the daily offering of the 
ordinary priests ; and yet our writer when 
expressly pointing out the meaning of the 
once a year offering of the High Priest in 
distinction from the daily offering of the 
ordinary priests, so far from giving anv hint 
that the once a year offering of the High 
Priest typifies the Christ as offered once, does 
affirm it to teach an entirely different truth, 
viz. : "The Holy Ghost this signifying that 
the way into the holiest of all was not yet 
made manifest while as the first tabernacle 
was yet standing." (ix:6-8.) Now when the 
writer himself affirms the meaning of the 
once a year offering, by what right do men 
affirm that it has a different meaning ? 

Let us now notice whether anything in the 
course of thought demands that "the men" 
shall be understood to signify " High 
Priests." Verses 2-5 mention the making of 
the tabernacle, and the articles which it con- 



52 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tained. Vs. 6-10 describe the priestly service 
and assert the inefficacy of the sacrifices " as 
pertaining to the conscience." Vs. 11-28, in 
which is contained the passage under consid- 
eration, teach the superiority and efficacy of 
the sacrifice of Christ. Now we can see 
nothing in this course and terminus of 
thought — the scope — that forbids the writer 
to mention the analogy existing between the 
one death of men and the one offering of 
Christ. The design is to set forth the power 
and the grandeur of Christ's one sacrifice. 
And we ask if the one death of the untold 
millions for whom the Christ did die does 
not furnish a nobler and more suitable par- 
allel to that one and grandly efficacious sac- 
rifice, than the once a year b}^ proxy death 
of Jewish High Priests? The once a year 
by proxy death, as the writer affirms, must 
be repeated from its very weakness. But 
the one death of men is of such power that 
no strength but God's can subdue it. And 
since God was in Christ subduing death, the 
apostle most fitly indicates the analogy 
between Christ's one sacrifice and the men's 
one death. 

Paul teaches the same truth in Phil. iii:i8, 
19; ** For many walk of whom I have told 
you often, and now tell you even weeping, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



53 



that they are the enemies of the cross of 
Christ. Whose end is destruction, whose 
God is their belly, and whose glory is in 
their shame, who mind earthly things/' 

T\\^"'end'' here spoken of must be either 
the termination of the earthl\' life, or the sad 
destin}^ of these enemies beyond the grave. 

It cannot be the simple termination of the 
earthly life, for then since believers also die 
God would visit with the same treatment 
even in the earthly life, the enemies of the 
cross and true disciples ; a supposition which 
the advocates of the final salvation of all are 
by no means willing to allow. It cannot be 
the violent and speedy termination of the 
earthly life; for this multitudes of the early 
Christians experienced, and even because of 
their love to Jesus. And therefore it must 
be the destiny of these enemies beyond the 
grave. The end of these enemies be3^ond 
the grave the apostle affirms to be destruction. 

The teachings of the Saviour respecting 
the destroyed cities also prove a judgment 
after death. He says, Mark vi:ii : "Whoso- 
ever shall not receive you, nor hear you, 
when ye depart thence, shake off the dust 
under your feet for a testimou}' against them. 
Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tol- 
erable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the da}^ 
of judgment, than for that city." 



54 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



The teaching of a judgment after death is 
here so plain that it seems as if all but the 
wilfully blind must see it. Two things are 
here to be noted. The first, that the judg- 
ment of which Christ speaks is future to the 
time of his speaking, 'Tt shall be.'' The 
second, that the Saviour includes in that 
judgment the inhabitants of Sodom and 
Gomorrah, "It shall be more tolerable for 
Sodom and Gomorrah." Now these cities 
were destroyed b}^ fire from heaven 1900 
years previous to the time of Christ's speak- 
ing ; and even if it be supposed that some of 
the wicked inhabitants by any means escaped 
that destruction, surely not even the advo- 
cates of a imiversal restoration will claim that 
these escaped ones lived through the long 
1900 years, and were still to be judged in the 
earthly life subsequent to the time in which 
Christ spake. All were dead then at the 
time of Christ's speaking, and yet subsequent 
to that speaking they were still to come into 
judgment. This clearl}^ teaches a judgment 
after death. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



55 



Proposition IV. The Scriptures teach that 
Christ will come personally and visibly to judge 
the nations: a coming to judgment such as has 
not yet taken place, such as does not take place in 
the ordinary earthly life, and which is yet, per- 
haps, humanly speaking, in the distant future > 

Some forty da3^s after his resurrection 
Christ ascended into heaven. We are to 
show first, the fact of his personal and visible 
coming. 

In Christ's last personal interview with his 
disciples he spake unto them as follows: ''It 
is not for you to know the times or the sea- 
sons which the Father hath put in his power. 
But ye shall receive power after that the 
Holy Ghost is come upon you ; and ye shall 
he witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and 
in all Judea, and in all Samaria, and unto 
the uttermost parts of the earth.'' And 
when he had spoken these things, "while 
they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud 
received him out of their sight .And while 
they looked steadfastl}' toward heaven as 
he went vip, behold two men stood by 
them in white apparel, which also said, 
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven? This same Jesus whicli is 
taken up from you into heaven shall so come 



56 THE StiUPrURAL VIEW 

in like manner as ye have seen him go into 
heaven." (Acts iig-i i .) 

No one should doubt that this account 
teaches Christ's personal and visible return 
from heaven. 

The same truth is also taught in Acts iii: 
19-21. ''Repent ye, therefore, and be con- 
verted, that your sins may be blotted out, 
when the times of refreshing shall come from 
the presence of the Lord ; and he shall send 
Jesus Christ which before was preached unto 
you ; whom the heavens must receive until 
the times of restitution of all things, which 
God hath spoken by the mouth of all his 
holy prophets since the world began. That 
is — from the heavens which now receive him 
God will send Chrisi at the times of restitu- 
tion. This can be spoken of nothing but his 
personal coming. Olshausen {jji loco) re- 
marks: " The coming of Christ '^ '^ '^ 
(parousia) is to be conceived as coinciding 
with the times of refreshing, and his sojourn 
in the heavenly world closes with his return 
to the earth for the completion of his work." 

We now proceed to show that this per- 
sonal coming of Christ will result in his 
approving and blessing his believing people. 

The apostle Peter teaches as follows: "An 
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and 
that fadeth not away, reserved m heaven for 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



57 



you wno are kept by the power ot (jod 
through faith unto salvation ready to be re- 
vealed in the last time : wherein ye greatly 
rejoice though now for a season (if need be) 
ye are in heaviness through manifold tempta- 
tions, that the trial of your faith, though it 
be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, 
and honor and glory at the appearing of 
Jesus Christ, whom not having seen ye love." 
(1 Pet. i:4-7.) 

The same apostle further says : " Feed the 
flock of God which is among you, taking the 
oversight thereof not by constraint, but 
willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready 
mind; neither as being lords over God's her- 
itage, but being ensamples to the flock : and 
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye 
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth 
not away." (I Pet. v:2-4.) 

Notice here two things: ist. The meaning 
of the word translated ''appear." 2d. That 
those spoken of receive, at that " appearing," 
a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

I. The word translated "appear." 

The same word occurs in the following 
passages : Mark iv:22 : '• For there is nothing 
hid which shall not be manifested — made to 
appear." 

Markxvi:i2. "After that he (Jesus), ap- 
peared in another form unto two of them as 



58 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



they walked and went into the country.*' 
This appearance was after Christ's resur- 
rection. 

Markxvi;i4: *' Afterward \\^ appeared v\x\X.o 
the eleven as they sat at meat and up- 
braided them with their unbelief and hard- 
ness of heart, because they believed not them 
which had seen him after he was risen." 

John vii:4: '' There is no man that doeth 
anything- in secret and he himself seeketh to 
be known openly ; if thou do these things 
show thyself to the world." In this verse the 
word translated "show" is the same as 
above ([ Pet. v:4) translated ''appear." 

John xxi:i. ''After these things Jesus 
slioived himself (made himself appear) again 
to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias ; and 
on this wise showed he himself " (made him- 
self appear). 

John xxi:i4: " This is now the third time 
that Jesus showed himself (made himself 
appear) to his disciples after that he was 
risen from the dead." 

II Cor. v:io: " We must all appear before 
the judgment seat of Christ." 

I Tim. iii:i6: "God was manifest (made to 
appear) in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, 
seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, 
believed on in the world, received un into 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



59 



glory." That is, God appeared in the flesh 
in the person ot Christ. 

Heb. ix:26: '^ But now once in the end of 
the world hath he (Christ) appeared to put 
away sin by the sacrifice of himself." 

I John iii:5 : ''And 3'e know that he (Christ) 
was manifested (made to appear) to take 
awa}' our sins ; and in him is no sin." 

I John iii:8 : " For this purpose the Son of 
God was manifested (made to appear) that he 
might destroy the works of the devil." 

In all these passages the appearance of 
Christ is considered as a visible appearance, 
and it makes the conviction very strong that 
the appearance mentioned in I Pet. v:4 is 
also considered as visible. Indeed, we ven- 
ture the assertion without fear of successful 
contradiction, that the word translated in 
I Pet. v:4 " appear," is never in the New 
Testament applied to a '' person," a human 
being, without that person is considered as 
visibly appearing. 

We now proceed to notice the second 
thing mentioned, viz.: That those spoken of 
receive at that appearing " a crown of glory 
that fadeth not away." 

And on this we remark : That the manner 
in which the apostle addresses them in other 
parts of the epistle shows clearly that he did 
not consider them as possessmg, nor as about 



6o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

to possess in this earthly life, the unfading 
crown of glory. 

1. He tells them that their "inheritance 
incorruptible, and that fadeth not away'' is 
'' reserved in heaven" for them. Now as 
neither the inheritance nor the crown of glory 
is to fade away, it follows that the duration of 
the one must be as lasting as that of the 
other. And as the ''inheritance" is ''in 
heaven" and is as lasting as " heaven," there- 
fore the "crown of glory" is also as lasting 
as heaven. And of necessary consequence it 
must be enjoyed in the life to come. 

2. Instead of the apostle considering 
glory in the earthly life as unfading, he tells 
them, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory 
of man as the flower of grass. The grass 
withereth, and the flower thereof falleth 
away." (I Pet. i:24.) 

3. When the crown of unfading glory 
shall be received by Christ's people it is but 
reasonable to suppose that all their bitter 
suffering is past ; 3^et the apostle addresses 
them as yet to suffer. He says (I Pet. iv:i): 
" Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for 
us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with 
the same mind." The}' are yet to wear their 
armor. The fight is not over, and the crown 
is not yet won. 

Also (iv:i2, 13.) " Beloved, think it not 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 6 1 

strange concerning the fiery trial which is to 
try you as though some strange thing hap- 
pened unto you ; but rejoice inasmuch as ve 
are partakers of Christ*s sufferings ; that when 
his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad 
also with exceeding joy." Also (iviig), ''Let 
them that suffer according to the will of God, 
commit the keeping of their souls unto Him 
in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator/' 

Also, (v : 9,) '' Resist (the devil) steadfast in 
the faith, knowing that the same afflictions 
are accomplished in your brethren that are 
in the world. But the God of all grace, who 
hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ 
Jesus, after that ye have suffered azvhile, make 
you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you." 

These statements clearly show that the apos- 
tle did not consider them as possessing in 
this earthly life, the crown of glory. 

2. God dealt doubtless on the same prin- 
ciple with the Christians whom Peter ad- 
dressed, as he did with Paul and the Chris- 
tians in Corinth, whom Paul addressed. After 
Paul's course w^as finished, and the time of 
departure (from earth) was at hand, his 
'' crown of righteousness" was not even yet 
given him, but was still " laid up" and to be 
given at a future day — the day of the appear- 
ing of the Lord, the righteous Judge. And 
if we believe that God gave the Christia^ns 



62 TFIE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



whom Peter addresed, their '' crown" in this 
life, and " laid up" Paul's until the future life, 
must we not also believe that he dealt more 
favorably with the one than with the other 
party ? 

But as Paul's full reward and Christ's full 
reward were both reserved by the Father 
until the next life, there is no reason whatever 
for supposing- that he 'dealt in different man- 
ner with the Christian '' strangers scattered 
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 
Asia and Bithynia." 

Now each of these two facts which have 
just been clearly proved — that Christ gives 
the "- crown" at his visible appearing, and that 
Christians receive not the crown until the 
present earthly life is past, leaves no escape 
from the conclusion that the crown of unfad- 
ing glory is not worn in this present earthly 
life. 

We present one more passage in which the 
word translated appear occurs; and which 
passage without doubt refers to Christ's vis- 
ible appearance. 

I John, iii:2, ^'Beloved, now are we the 
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what 
we shall be ; but we know that when he shall 
appear, we shall be like him. ; for we shall see 
him as he is." 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 63 



Notice here two things: 

1. The visibility of his appearance. 

** When he shall appear '^ ^^ we shall see 
him as he is." This is as plain as words can 
make it. 

2. '' The time of the appearance." 

{a) It is future to the time of the apostle's 
writing. 

" When he shall appear." (i) The tense is 
future. (2) A contrast is also made between 
the present and future condition of those 
whom he addresses. 

Now are we the sons of God, what we 
shall be doth not yet appear. 

(3) This appearance with its result, was 
hoped for, not realized, v. 3. 

{b) It does not occur until the termination 
of the earthly life. 

Shown, I. At that appearance we shall see 
him as he is. Now during the continuance 
of the earthly life, no believer sees him as 
he is. He has experienced the resurrection 
of the body and is now in glory. 

2. At that visible and glorious appearing, 
we shall be like him. Like him we shall pos- 
sess the glorious resurrection body. This of 
course is not possessed in the present earthh^ 
life. 

We continue our proofs of Christ's visible 
appearance. 



64 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Phil, iii : 20, 21. '* For our conversation is 
in heaven ; from whence also we look for the 
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall 
change our vile body, that it may be fash- 
ioned like unto his glorious body." 

He looked for Christ to come from heaven, 
because on Christ's coming, PauTs vile body 
would be fashioned like unto Christ's glori- 
ous body. 

This coming of Christ and the change of 
Paul's vilebod}^ did not, of course take place 
during Paul's earthly life. The change is the 
one produced in the resurrection of the just. 

Heb. ix : 28, " Christ was once offered to 
bear the sins of many ; and unto them that 
look for him shall he appear the second time, 
without sin unto salvation." 

There is a contrast here between Christ's 
second and first appearing. And but two ap- 
pearings are thought of — not multitudes of 
appearings. 

The first appearing, none will deny, was in 
his earthly life; when and at the close of which, 
he was once offered to bear the sins of many. 
Now this first was a visible appearing. And 
as he is to appear the second time unto them 
that look for him, this second appearance, we 
may very properly conclude, will also be vis- 
ible. It will be without sin unto salvation ; of 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



65 



course the salvation of his people, that full 
salvation which introduces them into the 
glories of the resurrection slate. 

I Thess. ii : 19, '' What is our hope, or joy, 
or crown of lejoicing ? Are not even ye in 
the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his 
coming ?" 

This verse indicates that the apostles ex- 
pected to be in company with the Christians 
of Thessalonica at the coming of Jesus Christ ; 
and thus excludes the idea that the coming of 
Christ is immediately subsequent to the death 
of believers. Pauf died at Rome, and it can- 
not be thought that all or the majority of the 
believers at Thessalonica, were gathered to- 
gether and martyred with him at Rome. 
It leads to the thought of the simultaneous 
resurrection and gathering together of be- 
lievers that sleep in Jesus. "- Behold, I show 
you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we 
shall all be changed, in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for 
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 
be raised incorruptible." (I Cor. xv : 51, 52). 

1 Thess. iii 113, " Abound in love '^ ^ to 
the end that he may establish your hearts un- 
blamable in holiness before God, even our 
Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ with all his saints." 

5 



66 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



This coming certainly has not yet taken 
place, does not take place at the death of each 
individual believer; and will not take place 
until the close of the gospel dispensation, 
when the dead in Christ shall rise. 

This coming is also to be attended with 
blessing to obedient believers. 'I'heir hearts 
are to be established " unblamable in holi- 
ness before God." 

Titus ii:i2, 13. ''We should live soberly, 
lighteously and godlv in this present world; 
h)oking for that blessed hope, and the glo- 
1 ious appearing of the gTeat God, and our 
Saviour Jesus Christ." 

1. This appearing did not occur at the 
destruction of Jerusalem, for it was to be 
looked for b}' the Ciiristians at Crete. Both 
Christ and Paul wept over the unhappy fate 
of the Jew^s. 

2. If not at Jerusalem it is still in the 
future, for the history of the church gives no 
accvount of ''the glorious appearing" or " the 
appearing of the glory" of the great God, 
and our Saviour Jesus Christ, since the writ- 
ing of the epistle. 

3. If it is to be a "glorious appearing" 
and to be looked for, it will be visible. And 
if it is to be the appearing of the Saviour 
Jesus Christ to Hving men it will be visible. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 67 



Col. iii:4. "When Christ who is our life 
shall appear, then shall ye also appear- with 
him in glory." 

This is either : ist. Christ's appearance to 
the individual believer just after phvsical 
death, or 2d, and more probably, the appear- 
ance of Christ attended by the glorified 
bodies of resurrected believers. This is to 
occur at the close of the gospel dispensation 
and to be immediately followed by the glo- 
rious resurrection change in the bodies of 
living believers. 



Proposition V. The Scriptures teach such a 
visible coining of Christ as results in the bodily 
resurrection of the dead in Christy in the bodily 
transformation of living believers^ and in painful 
judgments on the ungodly; and as such is of 
course distinct from his coming at the destruction 
of Jerusalem^ distinct from his coming in ordi- 
nary temporal judgments, and distinct from his 
coming at the hour of physical death. 

In support of the above proposition we 
offer the following proofs: I Thess. iv:i3-i7 : 
'' I would not have you to be ignorant, 
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 



68 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

that ye sorrow not even as others which 
have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus 
died and rose again, even so them also 
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with 
him. For this we say unto you by the word 
of the Lord, that we which are alive and 
remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall 
not prevent (precede) them which are asleep. 
For the Lord himself shall descend from 
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 
archangel, and with the trump of God ; and 
the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we 
which are alive and remain shall be caught 
up together with them in the clouds to meet 
the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever 
be with the Lord.'* 

This is very decisive as to the bodily 
resurrection of the '' dead in Christ " at '' the 
coming of the Lord." It also implies the 
resurrection change of living believers. For 
they are to '' be caught up together with 
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the 
air," and so to be ever with the Lord. This 
change of believers at Christ's coming is very 
clearly taught in I Cor. xv:50-52: ''Flesh 
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of 
God. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all 
be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of 
an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



69 



shall sound, and the dead shall be raised 
incorruptible, and we shall be changed/* 

This clearl}' teaches the resurrection 
change of living believers at the visible 
coming of Christ. 

Now the proof is to be given that this vis- 
ible coming of Christ will result in pairjful 
judgments on the ungodly. 

In I Thess. iv:i3-i7, as has just been said, 
Paul teaches the resurrection of the dead in 
Christ. In the fifth chapter he continues as 
follows: *' But of the times and seasons, 
brethren, 3^e have no need that I write unto 
you. For yourselves know perfectly that 
the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in 
the night. For when they shall say peace 
and safety, then sudden destruction cometh 
upon them, as travail upon a woman with 
child, and they shall not escape." 

The day of the Lord, here mentioned, is 
the time when '' the Lord himself shall 
descend from heaven with a shout, and with 
the trumpof God," as the connection of the 
thought clearly shows. He has just told of 
the descending of the Lord from heaven and 
that they could comfort one another with 
these words. Then he speaks of '' the day of 
the Lord," and most certainly he means hy 
this, the day of the Lord's descent from 
heaven. 



70 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Notice further that this day of the Lord 
brings with it destruction. ''The day of the 
Lord Cometh as a thief in the night. For 
when they shall say, Peace and safety, then 
sudden destruction cometh upon them." 

The apostle here evidently connects with 
the coming of the day of the Lord, a sudden 
destruction. Otherwise there is no force in 
the reason which the apostle presents. 

If it should be said, The days of the Lord 
came in times of old with great severity, be- 
cause the citizens of Sodom and the antedi- 
luvians were dealt with with great severity, 
then it necessarilv follows that the times ot 
those severe dealings were the days of the 
Lord. 

If it should be said. The hour of the teacher 
came unexpectedly, because the child was 
punished unexpectedly, then it necessarily 
follows that the punishing of the child, or the 
time of that punishing was the hour of the 
teacher. So if it should be said. The day 
of the Lord comes unexpectedly, because 
suffering comes unexpectedly, then suffering, 
or the time of suffering, must be the day of 
the Lord. So, if it should be said, The 
day of the Lord comes unexpectedly, because 
sudden destruction comes on them unex- 
pectedly, then the sudden destruction or the 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



71 



time of that destruction must be the day of 
the Lord. But this is just what is said, not 
in words but in meaning. For both the com- 
ing of the thief, and the coming o[ the sudden 
destruction, are unexpected. Therefore the 
time in which this sudden destruction comes 
is the day of the Lord. 

Another proof is contained in II Thess. i: 
6-10 : "Seeing it is a righteous thing with 
God to recompense tribulation to them that 
trouble you ; and to you who are troubled 
rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be re- 
vealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 
in flaming fire taking vengeance on them 
that know not God, and that obey not the 
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall 
be punished with everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the 
glory of his power ; when he shall come to 
be glorified in his saints, and to be admired 
in all them that believe.'' 

This passage teaches the infliction of pain- 
ful judgments on the ungodly. The only 
question here is, as to the time in which these 
judgments occur. 

Is the time the destruction of Jerusalem, 
or is it a still future and visible coming of 
Christ to judgment? 

Let us notice some points which have a 
bearing on this question. 



72 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



I. At the time of the revealing of the Lord 
Jesus from heaven the afflicted believers at 
Thessalonica are to have ''rest with us," that 
is with Paul; for Paul is certainly included 
in the '' us." Now it is a well known fact 
that Paul was put to death by being beheaded 
some years before the destruction of Jerusa- 
lem. And if the afflicted believers were 
recompensed at Jerusalem's destruction with 
rest with Paul, it could only have been by 
means of their physical death. For Paul 
was dead. Now should the very improbable 
supposition that tlie Thessalonian Christians 
died at the time of Jerusalem's destruction, 
be admitted, we ask, what worse thing hap- 
pened as tribulation to those multitudes of 
wicked Jews at Jerusalem who are killed, 
and suddenly, in battle? And the answer 
must be, " No worse." But this makes the 
tribulation and the rest, things equally desir- 
able, which is absurd. And therefore the 
supposition — that the afflicted believers of 
Thessalonica received rest with Paul at the 
destruction of Jerusalem — must be incorrect, 
since it conducts to an absurd conclusion. 
But if that supposition be incorrect, then it 
necessaril}^ follows that the revealing of the 
Lord Jesus from heaven, spoken of in the 
abcjvc passage, did not occur at the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



73 



II. Those on whom vengeance is to be 
taken " when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed 
from heaven," are they that know not God and 
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Not a hint is here of nationality. The refer- 
ence is alone to individual character. Now 
It is certain that at the destruction of Jerusa- 
lem, the great majority of the Gentiles pos- 
sessed the character referred to. They were 
idolators — they obeyed not the gospel. And 
centuries yet after Jerusalem's destruction, 
the Roman empire was under idolatrous con- 
trol. And scattered over the earth the 
wicked Gentiles far outnumbered the wicked 
Jews. Now as the reference is alone to char- 
acter it seems unreasonable to suppose that 
when judgment comes, and comes especially 
because of character, the great majority of 
those possessing that character, shall be ex- 
cluded from the judgment. And if the judg- 
ment occurred at Jerusalem, the great major- 
ity were most certainly so excluded. For 
but a very small part of the wicked Gentiles 
were gathered at Jerusalem. 

IIL The apostle teaches that when Christ 
comes he ''is to be admired in all them that 
believe." 

He limits the '^all" by " them that believe." 
^Now in order to harmonize this statement 



74 



THE SCRIPT UNA r. VIEW 



with the belief that this coming- was realized 
in the destruction of Jerusalem, one of two 
things must be done : 

Either deceased believers must be included 
in the all of them that believe, or the limit- 
ation of the apostle must be still further lim- 
ited, making all them that believe, to mean 
only a part ot " them that believe." Now 
Christ is represented as coming to be admired ; 
and there is no propriet)^ in representing 
Christ as coming" to be admired in or by de- 
ceased believers, unless with such coming- 
there is connected the resurrection of such 
believers. And as no such resurrection oc- 
curred at the destruction of Jerusalem, the 
idea that dead and unresurrected believers 
are included in the "all them that believe," 
must be abandoned. 

Further: At the time of Jerusalem's de- 
struction, telegraphs, and steamboats and 
railroads were unknown, and as a conse. 
quence of the imperfect means of commu- 
nicating information, it was spread among the 
nations quite slowly. Now subsequent to 
the destruction of the city, and before the 
knowledge of that destruction would reach 
"all them that believe," some of them that 
believe would die. And as a consequence, 
"all" of them that believed when Jerusalem 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



75 



was destroyed, can only mean '' a part" of 
them that believed when Jerusalem was de- 
stroyed. The apostle's limitation must be 
still further limited. 

IV. The manner in which the apostle ex- 
horts them not to be shaken in mind, or 
troubled, as that the day of Christ is at hand ; 
opposes the idea that that day came at the 
destruction of Jerusalem. 

He beseeches by the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto 
him. 

Here the apostle evidently implies a con- 
nection between the coming of Christ, and 
" our gathering'' (i,e, of believers) unto him. 
And the gathering together unto Christ, 
seems also to mean a gathering unto him as 
a person. Now at the destruction of Jeru- 
salem, instead of a gathering together, there 
was rather a scattering abroad. Christ says 
(Matt. xxiv:i5, 16,20) : ''When ye shall see the 
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel 
the prophet, stand in the holy place, "^ ^ 
then let them which be in Judea fiee into the 
mountains." " Pray ye that your flight be 
not in the winter." And since Christ did not 
come personall}^ at the destruction of Jeru- 
salem, there was of course no gathering to. 
gether unto him as a person. ^ 



^6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Now since there was no gathering either 
of Thessalonian believers, or of believers in 
general at the dstruction of Jerusalem, and 
since the apostle connects such gathering 
with the comihg of Christ, therefore, the com- 
ing of Christ did not take place at the de- 
struction of that city. This gathering to- 
gether unto Christ is yet in the future, and 
will take place when ''the dead in Christ 
shall rise hrst," and " we which are alive and 
remain shall be caught up together with 
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the 
air." (I Thess. iv:i6, 17.) 

V. The fact that the salvation which believ- 
ers experience in the day of the Lord, is not 
limited to this life, opposes the idea that that 
day occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem. 

That such is the fact is plainly shown by 
the connection of thought. '' The day of the 
Lord so Cometh as a thief in the night. For 
when they shall say peace and safety, their 
sudden destruction comes." " Ye brethren 
are not in darkness, that that day should over- 
take you as a thief. Ye are all the children 
of light, and the children of the day. Let us 
who are of the day be sober, putting on the 
breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet 
the hope of salvation, for God hath not ap- 
pointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



11 



by our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thess. v: 2-9). 
Now it is very evident that the salvation here 
spoken of is salvation in the day of the Lord. 
They should act as children of light, because 
God has appointed them to salvation. And 
that this salvation extends beyond this pres- 
ent life, the next verse clearly shows: "To 
obtain salvation b}' our Lord Jesus Christ 
who died for us that, whether we wake or 
sleep, we should live together with him." 

Those who sleep in Christ are also in ex- 
periencing this salvation to live together with 
Christ, and therefore the salvation can not be 
limited to the earthly life. But the salvation 
experienced b}^ believers at the destruction 
of Jerusalem was limited to this life, and 
since the salvation experienced at the destruc- 
tion of that city, was not the salvation which 
believers are to experience in the day of the 
Lord, therefore '' the day of the Lord " did 
not occur at the destruction of thatcit)'. 

VL The fact that certain events foretold 
by the apostle as to occur either before or in 
the day of the Lord, had not occurred when 
the destruction of Jerusalem was completed, 
proves that the destruction of that city was 
not '' the day of the Lord." 

Paul says : '' Be not soon shaken in 
mind as that the day of Christ is at hand. 



78 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Let no man deceive you by any means ; lor 
that da}' shall not come except there come a 
failing away first, and that man ot sin be 
revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth 
and exalteth himself above all that is called 
God, or that is worshiped ; so that he as 
God sitteth in the temple of God, showin^f 
himself that he is God. "^ *- '- Whose 
coming is after the working of Satan with all 
power and signs and lying wonders, and 
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness." 
(II Thess. ii : 2-4, 9, 10). 

The man of sin, as God, sitteth in the temple 
of God. The temple of God is not the temple 
at Jerusalem, but the Christian Church. 
When the sacrihce of Christ was offered on 
the cross, the veil of the temple was rent 
in twain — rent by the agency of God him- 
self — and thus it w^as manifested that the 
temple had served its purpose, and was hence- 
forth to be considered the temple of God no 
more. That the Christian Church is the 
temple of God, is proved by the apostle's 
language in other epistles. In I Coriii:i6, 
he sa3's: *' Know ye not that ye are the 
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God 
dwelleth in you. If any man defile the temple 
of God him shall God destroy ; for the temple 
of God is holy, which temple ye are." 



OF DIVIME GRACE. 79 

And in II Cor. vi :i6, '' And what agree- 
ment hath the temfle of God with idols? for 
ye are the temple of the living God." The 
man of sin then when revealed is to come 
forth from the Christian church. He is further 
to sit in the temple of God showing himself 
that he is God. And also his coming is after 
the working of Satan with all power and 
signs and lying wonders. 

Now up to the time of Jerusalem's complete 
destruction there was nothing that can be 
considered a fulfilment of these inspired pre- 
dictions. 

The earlv Christians who lived subsequent 
to Jerusalem's destruction, believed that the 
revealing of the man of sin was yet in the 
future, and that it v/ould not occur until the 
destruction of the then Roman empire. 
TertuUian says in his apology, " We Christians 
are under a particular necessity of praying 
for the emperors, and for the continued state 
of the empire, because we know the dread- 
ful power which hangs over the whole 
world ; and the conclusion of the age, which 
tlireatens the most horrible evils, is retarded 
by the continuance of the time appointed for 
the Roman empire. We pray therefore that 
this evil ma}^ be deferred by the perpetuity 
of the state." And Jerome, after Rome was 



8o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

taken by the Goths, says : '' He which re- 
strained is now taken away, and hence we 
understand that Antichrist is near." (Hill's 
Lectures in Divinity, p. 713). 

Justin Martyr, of the second century, says: 
** He who is about to speak blasphemous and 
audacious things against the Most High is 
already at the doors, whose continuance 
Daniel signifies to be for a time, times, and 
half a time. He (Christ) shall come with 
glory from the heavens, when also the man 
of apostacy speaking great words against the 
Highest, will dare to do wicked things against 
us Christians." 

Irenaeus, also of the second century, says : 
** When Antichrist, reigning three years and 
six months, shall have laid waste all things 
in this world, and have sat in the temple of 
Jerusalem, then shall the Lord come from 
heaven in the clouds, casting Antichrist and 
them that obey him into the lake of fire, but 
bringing to the jvist the times of the kingdom." 

Cyprian, of the third century, says : '' We 
are now in the end and consummation of the 
world — the fatal time of Antichrist is at hand." 

Ambrose, of the fourth century, sa3'S : " The 
abomination of desolation is the abominable 
advent of Antichrist, who with ill-omened 
sacrilege will defile the inner chambers of 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 8 1 

men's minds, and will sit literally in the 
temple, usurping the throne of divine power. 
Then will come desolation, seeing- that most 
will fall away from true religion, and lapse 
into error: then \n\\\ come the day of the 
Lord." 

Augustine, on 11 Thess. ii, says: *' No one 
doubts that the apostle said these things of 
Antichrist, and that the day of judgment, 
which he here calls ' the day of the Lord,' 
will not come unless he whom he calls an 
ap estate, that is to say from the Lord God, 
shall first come." 

Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople in 
the fourth century, says : " As Rome suc- 
ceeded Greece, so Antichrist is to succeed 
Rome ; and Christ our Saviour, Antichrist.'' 
(The Voice of the Church, pp. 93, 295, 296, 
298, 300.) 

Dr. Olshausen, of Germany, while admit- 
ting that the destruction of Jerusalem may be 
a type of the evils in the time of the revealing 
of the man of sin, yet teaches that that reveal- 
ing is yet future. He says : " If we after this 
turn to the critical examinations of these 
various opinions upon Antichrist, and upon 
what detains him, we must by all means lay 
it down as an axiom that every interpretation 
is false which admits the apostle's representa- 
6 



82 THR. SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tion to be exhausted in any representation of 
the past. For according to his express dec- 
laration, Christ's coming, and with it the 
resurrection of the faithful, and the kingdom 
of God are immediately to follow on the 
coming of the falling away, and of Antichrist. 
Now, as up to this time nothing of that has 
happened, the coming of Antichrist also can 
only be considered as something future.*' 
(Com. II Thes. ii : 7.) 

We close this part of our subject with the 
testimony of the learned theologian, Prof. 
Charles Hodge, D. D. He says (Systematic 
Theology, Vol. Ill, p. 836): ''According, 
then, to the common faith of the church, the 
three great events which are to precede the 
second advent of Christ, are the universal 
proclamation of the Gospel on the conversion 
of the Gentile world, the national conversion 
of the Jews, and the appearance of Anti- 
christ." 

And inasmuch as these three great events 
have not even yet occurred, of course the 
advent of the Lord did not take place at the 
destruction of Jerusalem. 



OF DIVINE GRACE 83 



PropositioJi VL T/te Scriptures teach a uni- 
versal resurrection of the physically dead — a 
resurrection unto life of them that have done 
good, a resurrection unto condemnation of them 
that have done evil. 

We notice, first, the fact of the resurrection 
of the dead. And proof of this is found in 
words of Paul mentioned, Acts xxi v: 15:'' And 
have hope toward God, which they them- 
selves also allow, that there shall be a resur- 
rection of the dead, both of the just and 
unjust." Included in " the dead " are those 
who were already dead at the time of PauFs 
speaking; and yet Paul speaks of the resurrec- 
tion as future. This shows that the resurrec- 
tion does not take place at the hour of death, 
but is yet future. And this resurrection is 
both of the just and the unjust, that is uni- 
versal. 

In Acts 5cxiii : 6, 8, we learn that Paul was 
a Pharisee in reference to the doctrine of the 
resurrection of the dead. '' But when Paul 
perceived tKat the one part were Sadducees 
and the other Pharisees, he cried out in 
the council: ' Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, 
the son of a Pharisee, of the hope and resur- 
rection of the dead I am called in question.''* 



84 'I^HE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

'' The Sadducees sa}^ that there is no resur- 
rection, neither angel nor spirit, but the 
Pharisees confess both." 

Josephus, a Jewish priest, who Hv^ed in the 
time of Jerusalem's destruction, speaks thus 
in a discourse to the Greeks concerning- 
Hades and the resurrection: *'This is a dis- 
course concerning Hades, wherein the souls 
of all men are confined until a proper sea- 
son, which God hath determined, when he 
will make a resurrection of all men from the 
dead, not procuring a transmigration of souls 
from one body to another, but raising again 
those very bodies." This opinion Josephus 
held either as a Jewish priest and Pharisee, 
or as derived from the early Christians. If 
as a priest and Pharisee, then the priests and 
Pharisees believ^ed it; if as derived from the 
early Christians, then the early Christians 
believed that the doctrine was taught in their 
Scriptures. 

We now proceed to show that there will 
be distinctions in the condition of individuals 
in the resurrection state, according to their 
conduct in the present life. Paul teaches this 
in I Thess. iv : 16-18 : " The Lord himself shall 
descend from heaven with a shout, with the 
voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 85 

first ; then we which are alive and remain 
shall be caught up together with them in the 
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so 
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore 
comfort one another with these words." 
Here the '* dead in Christ" are believers in 
Christ who are physically dead at Christ^s 
coming. And '' we who are alive and re- 
main unto the coming of' the Lord'' are 
believers in Christ who are not physically 
dead at his coming. For the epistle is 
directed to the church of the Thessalon- 
ians, and the " we" signifies Christians liv- 
ing on the earth at Christ's coming. Both 
of these classes — the dead preceding the 
living — are to be caught up to meet the 
Lord in the air, and to be ever with the 
Lord. That the resurrection here spoken 
of is future and does not occur at the hour of 
death, is evident from the fact that those 
concerning whom the Thessalonians were 
sorrowing were already dead at the writing 
of the epistle, while their resurrection was 
not to occur until the Lord's descent from 
heaven, subsequent to the writing of the 
epistle. They were not to comfort one 
another because those who slept in Jesus 
were, already resurrected, but because they 
would be resurrected. 



86 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The resurrection change of believers living 
at the coming of the Lord which in this 
passage is only implied, is in I Cor. xv 151, 
52, directly asserted : *' Behold, I show you 
a mystery ; we shall not all sleep, but we 
shall all be changed, in a moment, in the 
twinkUng of an eye, at the last trump : for 
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be 
raised incorruptible, and we shall he changed." 
That this is a change for the better is evident, 
since Paul in the 57th verse thanks God 
for it. 

That the condition of believers is affected 
favorably by the resurrection change Paul 
also teaches in Phil, iii : 20, 21 : '* Our conver- 
sation is in heaven, from whence also we 
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
who shall change our vile body, that it may 
be fashioned like unto his glorious body." 

That rewards are experienced in the resur- 
rection, because of good conduct in the pres- 
ent life, Christ teaches, in Luke xiv:i2-i4: 
"When thou makest a dinner call not thy 
friends nor rich neighbors, lest they also bid 
thee again, and a recompense be made thee ; 
but when thou makest a feast call the poor, 
the maimed, the lame, the blind ; and thou 
shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense 
thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 87 

resurrection of the just/' That is, do good 
to them who cannot recompense thee, and 
thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrec- 
tion of the just. 

What does Christ here mean by *'the res- 
urrection of the just '? 

B}^ examining the passages in which the 
w^ord "resurrection" occurs, let us endeavor 
to ascertain its meaning. Matt, xxii, 23-32 : 
"The same day there came to him the Saddu- 
cees who sa}^ that there is no resurrection, 
and asked him, saying, * Master, Moses said, 
if a man die having no children, his brother 
shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto 
his brother. Now there were with us seven 
brethren; and the first, when he had married 
a wife, deceased. "^^ '^ ^ Last of all the 
woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrec- 
tion, whose wife shall she be of the seven?' '* 
Here, and in Christ's reply, resurrection 
must mean life subsequent to physical death. 
In Mark's account (xii:i8, 23), and in Luke's 
account (xx:27-36), the same word is used, 
and with the same meaning. 

John xi:23,24: '^Jesus saith unto her thy 
brother (dead) shall rise again." Martha 
saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise 
again in the resurrection at the last day." 
Jesus said unto her, "1 am the resurrection 



88 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

and the life/* Here again, life subsequent to 
physical death; yet not immediately sub- 
sequent, for though four days had passed, 
the resurrection was still future, and in 
Martha's estimation would not be until "the 
last day." Here also a living again of the 
dead body. 

Acts i:22, "Beginning from the baptism of 
John, unto that same day that he (Christ) was 
taken up from us, must one be ordained to 
be a witness with us of his resurrection." 
Here, a living again of the dead body. 

Acts ii:3i: "He seeing this before, spake 
of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul 
was not left in hell (Hndes), neither his Hesh 
did see corruption." Here the reunion of 
soul and body after piiysical death. 

Acts iv:2: *They taught the people and 
preached through Jesus the resurrection from 
the dead." Doubtless a resurrection of the 
dead body, because it would be patterned 
after the resurrection of Jesus. 

Acts iv:33: "x\nd with great power gave 
the apostles witness of the resurrection of the 
Lord Jesus." A resurrection of the dead 
body. 

Acts xvii:i8: "He preached unto them 
Jesus and the resurrection." A living again 
of the dead body, 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



89 



Acts xvii:32: "And when they heard of the 
resurrection of the dead, some mocked." 
The living again of dead bodies. 

Acts xxiii:6: "I am a Pharisee ; of the 
hope and resurrection of the dead I am 
called in question." The soul after ph3^sical 
death living again in a body. 

Acts xxiii:8: "The Sadducees say that 
there is no resurrection." A living again of 
the dead body. 

Acts xxiv:i5: "And have hope toward 
God, which they themselves also allow, that 
there shall be a resurrection of the dead, 
both of the just and the unjust." A living 
again of the dead body, or the soul after 
physical death living again in a body. 

Acts xxiv:2i: "Touching the resurrection 
of the dead I am called in question." The 
soul after physical death living again in a 
body. 

Acts xxvi:23: "That Christ should suffer 
and that he should be the first that should 
rise from the dead." Here a reunion after 
physical death of the soul and its body. 

Now, in all these instances the word trans- 
lated "resurrection" means a mode of life, a 
resurrection subsequent to physical death; 
and which is, as none will dispute, the final 
mode of life which the Scriptures reveal. 



go 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



In the instances given the word is used by 
Sadducee and Pharisee, by John and Peter 
and Paul, by Martha and Christ. And omit- 
ting the Apocalypse — a highly figurative 
book — this is the invariable meaning of the 
word, wherever in the New Testament it is 
used by Christ or by his apostles. 

And therefore the recompense in the res- 
urrection of the just, spoken of by Christ, is 
the recompense in the final mode of life pos- 
sessed b}' the just subsequent to their phys- 
ical death. 

Now, a recompense always and of necessity 
implies something on account of which the 
recompense comes. And that thing on ac- 
count of which this recompense in the resur- 
rection of the just comes, is the giving a 
feast — the doing good in the earthly life to 
those unable to make recompense. Very 
plainly then does Christ teach a connection 
between good conduct in the earthly life and 
good condition in the resurrection subse- 
quent to physical death. 

That there is a connection between life on 
earth and condition in the resurrection, is 
also taught in Heb. xi:35: *'Women received 
their dead raised to life a2:ain ; and others 
were tortured, not accepting deliverance, 
that they might obtain a better resurrection." 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



91 



This better resurrection cannot be a moral 
or spiritual one, because those who were tor- 
tured, not accepting" deliverance, already 
possessed that. It is the resurrection which 
faithful believers experience subsequent to 
physical death ; as has already been shown 
under a previous proposition. 

Now, unless these persecuted children of 
God believed a lie, there is most certainly a 
connection between conduct in the temporal 
life and condition in the resurrection life. 
For they believed that b}^ enduring the tor- 
ture they would obtain*' a better resurrec- 
tion." But since this was the noble conduct 
of those who lived by faith, therefore in this 
particular they did not believe a lie, and 
therefore there is a connection between good 
conduct here and good condition hereafter. 

Apply also the invariable meaning of ''res- 
uri'ection'* as it is used by Christ and his 
apostles (except in the Apocalypse), and the 
last clause of the verse will read as follows: 
''And others were tortured, not accepting 
deliverance that they might obtain a better 
'mode of life' subsequent to physical death." 
And by this method also we ascertain a con- 
nection between conduct here and condition 
hereafter in the resurrection state. 



92 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Now, as these Old Testament worthies, 
whom the apostle commends for their faith, 
did not in this important matter labor under 
a mistake, it therefore follows that had they 
not endured the torture they would not have 
obtained "a better resurrection/' And of 
necessar}^ consequence their contemporaries 
who had no faith, or whose faith died in view 
of the torture, missed, or will miss the ''better 
resurrection." 

And also those who fail to perform those 
deeds for which men are to be recompensed 
in the resurrection of the just, will miss the 
recompense. 

In the resurrection, then, there will be dis- 
tinctions. Som.e will have the '' better resur- 
rection; " some will not. Some will have the 
'' recompense ;" some will not. 

The fact of a distinction in the resurrection, 
Christ also teaches with great clearness 
in John v : 28, 29: '' The hour is coming 
in which all that are in their graves shall hear 
his voice, and shall come forth; they that 
have done good, unto the resurrection of life; 
and they that have done evil, unto the resur- 
rection of damnation." 

Apply now to this passage the invariable 
meaning of the word wherever it is used by 
Christ, and the passage will read—'' All that 



OF DIVINE GRACE. ^3 

are in the graves shall hear his voice and 
shall come forth ;* they that have done good 
unto the mode of life, subsequent to physical 
death, of life ; that is — a mode of life which is 
emphatically life ; and they that have done 
evil unto the mode of life, subsequent to 
physical death, of condemnation." 

Thus, unless our definition of the word as 
used by Christ be incorrect, there is no escape 
from the conclusion that Christ teaches a 
distinction of condition in the resurrection 
beyond the grave. 

To show further the correctness of our 
definition we will no.w give the only ad- 
ditional places in which the word is used in 
the New Testament, omitting the iVpocalypse. 

Rom. i : 4, " Declared to be the Son of God 
with power by the resurrection from the 
dead." 

Rom. vi : 5, '' If we have been planted in the 
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the 
likeness of his resurrection." 

Phil, iii :io, " That I may know.:him (Christ) 
and the power of his resurrection." 

I Pet. i:3, ''By the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ from the dead." 

I Pet. iii :2i, '' By the resuirection of Jesus 
Christ." 



94 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



In these places the word plainly relates to 
the bodily resurrection of Christ. 

I Cor. XV :i2, 13, '* How say some among 
you that there is no resurrection of the dead ; 
but if there be no resurrection of the dead, 
then is Christ not risen." 

I Cor. xv:2i, ^' Since by man came death, 
by man came also the resurrection of the 
dead." 

I Cor. XV 142, '' So also is the resurrection 
of the dead." 

II Tim. ii :i8, '' Who concerning the truth 
have erred, saying that the resurrection is 
past already." 

Heb. vi :2, " Of resurrection of the dead. " 
Heb. xi : 35, '* Women received their dead 
raised to life again ; " literally, '' received their 
A^didi from or through resurrection." 

Now in all these passages, '' resurrection " 
means life subsequent to physical death; 
and the truth of our dehnition is necessarily 
firmly established. i\.nd with the correctness 
of that definition is also established the fact 
that Christ teaches a distinction of condition 
in the resurrection beyond the grave. They 
that have done good, to the resurrection of 
life ; they that have done evil, to the resurrec- 
tion of condemnation. The only way to 
escape from such fact is to show that the 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



95 



context does not allow such a meaning. But 
to show that is impossible. 

II. That the resurrection of which Christ 
here speaks is subsequent to physical death 
is evident also from the fact that he represents 
those who are to experience it as being in the 
graves and to come forth. 

'' All they that are in the graves shall come 
forth.*' 

Now the word translated graves is else- 
where translated "tombs" and ''sepulchres." 
It is used about forty times in the New Testa- 
ment, and in every place apart from this 
verse, it plainly means the abode of dead 
bodies ; and since there is nothing in the con- 
text to forbid that meaning, it also means 
that here. And therefore it necessarily follows 
that the resurrection of which Christ speaks 
is a resurrection subsequent to physical 
death. 

We now give the opinion of some eminent 
commentators upon the verses. John v: 28, 
29): " Few among you now hear my voice 
aright ; but then shall all those who have been 
long in their graves (what and wheresoever 
their graves unknown to man may be), be 
compelled to hear it ! And then shall be the 
final and eternal decision when all come forth 
and are revealed. Then shall there be to 



96 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

believers a judgment also unto life, to un- 
believers a new life unto judgment. The 
unbelievers shall be azvakencd, but not to the 
life of the Son of God ; judged, but not with 
that merciful judgment of the Son of Man 
which had been offered in vain before. And 
then shall there be the voice heard — Come 
forth ! as it was prophetically heard at the 
grave of Lazarus." Thus Stier in " Words 
of the Lord Jesus.'' 

'' The restoration of life to the body is one 
day to take place in virtue of the immanent 
principle of the new life which proceeds from 
Christ ; this thought is expressed in the form 
of an image in prevalent use. ''^ '" The 
image which ' the voice ' conveys is expressed 
in a manner yet more marked by the 
' trumpet.' " (I Cor. xv 152). 

"- If in zoee (life) there lay simply the idea 
of duration, the force of krisis, judgment) 
would be that of annihilation ; as however, 
zoee ex adjuncta designates that which cor- 
responds with the true idea of life, and con- 
sequently, happy life (the true life on its sub- 
jective side, as it enters into self conscious- 
ness) the idea of the krisis (damnation) is that 
of misery.'' Thus Tholuck. 

*' The less is now surpassed by the greater ; 
yea, even the universal resuscitation at the 



OF DIVIXE GRACE. c)^ 



end ol time is the work of the Son of God ! 
That the Lord here refers to physical resur- 
rection is shown by the expression en tois 
mneemeiois (in the graves) ; as also by 
ekporeuesthai (come forth), and by the remark 
that the wicked will rise as well as the good." 
Thus Olshausen. 

• In proof of a resurrection unto condemna- 
tion we present also Dan. xii:2, " And many 
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
shall awake ; some to everlasting life, and some 
to shame and everlasting contempt." 

First : The Jews previous to the birth of 
Christ believed in a resurrection subsequent 
to physical death. This very clearly appears 
from the words of the heroic mart3n's — a 
mother and her seven sons — as mentioned in 
II Mac. vii. The mother encouraged them 
thus—'' Doubtless the Creator of the world 
who formed the generation of man, and found 
out the beginning of all things, will also of his 
own mercy give you breath and life again ; 
as ye now regard not vourselves tor his law's 
sake/' 

The second son spake thus: '' Thou like a 
fury takest us out of the present life, but the 
King of the world shall raise us up, who have 
died for his laws, unto everlasting life." 



7 



98 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The third: "These (tongue and hands) I 
had from heaven, and for His laws I despise 
them, and^from Him I hope to receive them 
again/' 

The fourth : '* It is good being put to death 
by men to look for hope from God to be 
raised up again by him ; as for thee, thou shalt 
have no resurrection to life.*' 

The youngest brother: '* Our brethren 
who now have suffered a short pain, are dead 
under God's covenant of everlasting life." 

Second: The Old Testament teaches the 
doctrine of a resurrection after physical death. 
For when the Sadducees disputed with Christ 
against the resurrection he said : '' Ye do err 
not knowing the Scriptures ;" i. e., the Scrip- 
tures teach the doctrine of the resurrection. 
And further, '' That the dead are raised even 
Moses showed at the bush, when he called the 
Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 
For he is not a God of the dead but of the 
living: for all live unto him." (Luke xx:37, 

38). 

Third : The Jews before Christ and contem- 
porary with Christ believed that the Old 
Testament taught the doctrine of the resur- 
rection. Witness the words of the martyred 
mother and her sons 167 3'ears before Christ. 
Especiall}' where the youngest brother says: 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 0)9 

''Our brethren are dead under God's covenant 
of everlasting life.'* Witness the agreement 
of the Scriljes with Christ : '' Master, thou 
hast well said." (Luke xx :39). 

Fourth : The first reading of the passage 
conveys to every unprejudiced mind of ordi- 
nary intelligence the idea of a resurrection 
subsequent to physical death. And it would 
be universally understood to convey such 
idea, if such idea did not clash with theo- 
logical opinions which men desire to sustain. 
And consequently believing Jews who re- 
ceived the plain teaching of God's word, did 
so understand it. 

Fifth : Since the passage suggests univers- 
ally 10 unprejudiced minds, the doctrine of a 
resurrection of the physically dead ; since, 
according to Christ, that doctrine is taught 
in the Old Testament, and since there is noth- 
ing in the context to the contrary, it is there- 
fore a perfectly, reasonable conclusion that 
this passage teaches that doctrine. 

Sixth : The interpretation which would 
confine the event foretold in this passage to 
the earthl}" life is necessarily forced to teach 
that nations in distinction from individuals, 
are spoken of — that the Jews as a nation are 
banished for a long, indefinite time from 
God's favor ; that the Gentiles as nations 



lOO THE SCRIPTURAL V/£l^ 

possess that favor through belief in the 
Gospel. For the moment the passage is 
applied to individuals as distinct from nations 
it loses all application to the destruction of 
Jerusalem and the banishment from gospel 
privileges of living Jews. For there are at 
the present time many individual Jews who 
truly believe in Jesus Christ. And multi- 
tudes of Gentiles who reject the reign of 
Jesus Christ. There are to-day more Gentiles 
destitute of faith in Christ than there are 
Jews in the whole world. And there are 
more unbelieving than believing Gentiles. 
The passage then, according to the interpre- 
tation that would confine its meaning to 
events of the earthly life, can not be applied, 
to individuals. But the passage very plainly 
refers to individuals. '' At that time thy 
people shall be delivered every one that 
shall be found written in the book." This 
book is the book of life because those written 
in it are to awake to everlasting life. In 
Rev. xx:i5 it reads :" Whosoever was not 
found written in the book of life." These 
books are the same and therefore individuals 
are referred to. And consequently the pass- 
age does not relate to the destruction of 
Jerusalem and the exclusion of the Jewish 
nation from the church on .earth. That in- 



Oh DIVINE GRACE. • loi 

dividuals are referred to appears also from 
the passage itself — " And many of them that 
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, 
some to everlasting life, and some to shame 
and everlasting contempt." Here some means 
some of them that sleep. Applied to in- 
dividuals in the final resurrection, all is plain 
and true. But where are the nations which 
in the earthly life awake to shame and ever- 
lasting contempt ? 

Seventh : The fact that Daniel should rest 
and stand in his lot, at the end of the days, 
shows that the event rcferjed to is not the 
destruction of Jerusalem. 

For on either interpretation, the death of 
Daniel occurred lono- befoie the fulfilment of 
the prophecy. And since the sentence, ''Thou 
shalt rest and stand in thy lot," is not appli- 
cable to a man considered simply as about to 
die, but is ver}^ appropriately applied to one 
who is both to die, and also to experience a 
blessed resurrection, therefore the prophecy 
was not fulfilled at the destruction of Jeru- 
salem. For at the^end of the days — that is — 
the time of the prophec3^'s fulfilment, Daniel 
shall be raised from the dead ; and he was not 
so raised at the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Eighth : '' And they that be wise shall shine 
as the brightness of the firmament; and they 



I02 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

that turn many to righteousness as the stars 
forever and ever/* 

This verse immediately follows the one 
under consideration, and is doubtless to be 
fulfilled at the same time. And it is certainly 
nonsense to confine such a glorious promise 
of God as this to the brief and very imper- 
fect life of the Christian on earth. 



Proposition VII. The Scriptures do not teach 
that the condemnation experienced by the zvicked 
in the jiidgment subsequent to the final or 
general resurrection will ever be removed ; nor 
that the painful results of that condemnation 
will ever cease: in other words ^ they do not teach 
a U7tiversal restoration of lost men to the favor 
of God. 

We no\v proceed to notice the principal 
passages which are presented as proofs of a 
universal restoration. 

Luke xx:36: '* They are equal unto the 
angels, and are the children of God, being the 
children of the resurrection.'' 

From this passage it is inferred that all 
who are raised from the dead are raised to a 
state of holiness and happiness; and since all 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



103 



are to be raised from the 'dead, therefore all 
are to be holy and happy. Here the point to 
be determined is — whether the resurrection 
spoken of is to be experienced by the entire 
race of man? And unless the affirmative of 
this question can be, not asserted, but proved, 
the passage contains no argument for uni- 
versal salvation. 

The following facts make the affirmation of 
this question impossible to be proved : 

I. The words of Christ in the previous 
verse clearly imply that those who shall ob- 
tain the resurrection spoken of, must previ- 
ously '' be accounted worthy to obtain" it. 
He says, '' They who shall be accounted 
worthy to obtain" ''the resurrection." Should 
a king say, '' Those soldiers who shall be ac- 
counted worthy of extra pay at the expira- 
tion of their term of service, shall be gener- 
ously cared for through life, what soldier in 
all the army so dull as not to understand that 
a certain standard of worthiness must be at- 
tained before the favors spoken of can be en- 
joyed ? Will Universalists affirm that in the 
case supposed, the extra pay, and the generous 
care through life, are affirmed in behalf of all 
the soldiers — be they cowards, deserters or 
traitors? We trow not. But if not, then by 
what authority do they affirm that Christ, 



104 ^^^ SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

when he speaks of those ''who shall be ac- 
counted worthy to obtain that world and the 
resurrection/' means the entire race of man? 
Has not prejudice warped the judgment? 

2. In each of the three other passages in 
the New Testament, where the word trans- 
lated ''to account worthy" is used, a standard 
of worthiness is plainly implied ; and said 
standard is or was actually attained unto by 
but a portion of mankind. Luke xxi:36, 
" Watch ye therefore and pray alwa}' s that ye 
may be accounted worthy to escape all these 
things that shall come to pass, and to stand 
before the Son of man." 

Both Universalistand Orthodox understand 
that those in this passage counted worthy to es- 
cape, include but a portion of mankind, and 
that the said portion attained or will attain to 
the standard of worthiness. 

Acts v:4i : "They departed from the pres- 
ence of the council rejoicing that they were 
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." 

Here the being counted worthy is limited 
to the disciples of Jesus; and those who 
have not become disciples have not attained 
the standard of worthiness. For certainl}', 
in the sense in which the words are here 
used, none but disciples suffer shame for his 
name. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



05 



II Thess. i:4, 5 : *' Your persecutions and 
tribulations that ye endure — a manifest token 
of the righteous judgment of God that ye may 
be counted worthy of the kingdom of God 
for which \'e also suffer/' Here also a stand- 
ard of worthiness is implied, and to this 
standard but a portion of mankind attain. 
For whether the kingdom of God be consid- 
ered as then existing, or as to exist at Christ's 
second coming, it includes but a portion of 
mankind. For as then existing it did not in- 
clude the persecutors ; and as to exist at 
Christ's coming it will not include those 
"- who shall be punished with everlasting de- 
struction from the presence of the Lord" (v. 9.) 
Now from the fact that a standard of worth- 
iness is implied in every passage, apart 
from that in dispute where the word is used, 
it is perfectly reasonable to conclude, there 
being nothing in the context to the contrary, 
that a standard of worthiness is also implied 
n the disputed passage. 

3. Paul conclusively teaches in Phil. iii:8- 
II that a standard of worthiness must be at- 
tained before one can attain unto the resur- 
rection of the dead. He suffered the loss of 
all thifigs th;at he might win Christ and be 
found in him, ^od know Christ and the power 
lA his resiirreptjoji and the fellowship of his 



Io6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

sufferings, being made conformable unto his 
death, if by any means he might attain unto 
the resurrection of the dead. When one 
suffers the Ic^ss of all things to gain a certain 
object it is conclusive proof of his belief that 
the gaining of the object is conditional on the 
sacrifices that he makes — that the object can 
not be gained independent of his own effort. 
What pearl diver would brave the ocean 
depths would the pearls come to him without 
his diving? What gold miner would under- 
go the toil of mining, would the gold come 
without the toil ? . What man of sound mind 
would suffer the loss of all things to attain an 
object certain to be attained without any 
loss? Universalists will hardly assert that 
Paul was craz3% or a fanatic. Yet, if all men 
without exception and independent of their 
own effort are to attain unto the resurrection 
of the dead, Paul was nothing less than a 
fanatic, for he suffered the loss of all things 
to gain that which he would certainly gain 
though he suffered no loss. The conclusion 
cannot be escaped from that either Paul was 
a fanatic, or Universalism is false. But Paul 
was not a fanatic. He says (II Tim. \\f)\ 
"^ God hath not given us the spirit of 
fear; but of power, and of love, and of a 
sound mind.'' 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



107 



4. The Scriptural usage of the word chil- 
dren does not justify the conclusion that 
because all men are to be raised from the dead, 
therefore, all men are to be '' children of the 
resurrection/* in the sense in which Christ 
uses the phrase. 

In one sense all men are children of the 
*' Father which is in heaven," yet not "in the 
sense in which Christ uses the phrase. For 
he says (Matt. v:44, 45): '' Love your enemies, 
bless them that curse you, do good to them 
that hate you, and pra}^ for them which de- 
spitefuUy use you, and persecute you ; that 
ye may be the children of your Father which 
is in heaven." Here Christ plainly teaches 
that a special course of conduct is necessary 
that we may be '' children " of the Heavenly 
Father. Of course, then, those who have 
not that conduct are not in Christ's sense 
'* children " of the Father. 

Christ also told the Jews who claimed God 
as their Father: '^ If God were your father, 
ye would love me." " Ye are of your father 
the devil." (John. viii:42, 44.) 

In one sense all men are *' children of this 
world," 3^et not in the sense in which Christ 
uses the phrase. For he says (Luke xvi:8): 
*'The children of this world are in their 
generation wiser than the children of light." 



lo8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

These two classes are composed of different 
persons, else the one class could not be wiser 
than the other. The children of light are 
those who believe in Jesus. For he says, 
(John xii:36): *' While 3^e have the light be- 
lieve in the light, that 3^e may be children of 
light.'' And (v. 46): '* I am come a light into 
the world that whosoever believeth on me 
should not abide in darkness." And there- 
fore the children of this world are, not all 
men, but those who refuse to believe in 
Jesus. 

In one sense all descendants of Abraham 
are " children of Abraham,'' yet not in the 
sense in which Christ uses the word " chil- 
dren.'' For to the Jews who claimed Abra- 
ham as their father he said (John, viiiijQ, 40): 
"' If ye were Abraham's children ye would do 
the w^orks of Abraham. But now ye seek to 
^kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, 
which I have heard of God. This did not 
Abraham." Not doing the works of Abra- 
ham, they were not, in Christ's sense, children 
of Abraham. Paul also says (Rom. ix:6, j\ 
'' The}^ are not all Israel which are of Israel. 
Neither because the}- are the seed of Abra- 
ham are they all children." 

Now since creation and preservation by 
the Heavenly Father does not make men 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



09 



necessarily ''children'' of the Father, since 
living in this world does not make men, nec- 
essarily, '' children o[ this world," since being 
descendants of Abraham does not necessaril}' 
make men '' children of iVbraham," therefore, 
in like manner, the being raised from the 
dead does not necessarily make men " chil- 
dren of the resurrection." But if not, then 
the fact that the " children of the resurrec- 
tion " are to be holy and blessed, does not 
prove that all men, without exception, are to 
be holy and blessed. 

5. At the time the Sadducees questioned 
Jesus, the law of Moses was still in force, and 
was to Sadducee and Pharisee the law of 
God. Those, therefore, who obeyed that 
law, were considered by them, and should 
be considered by us, as righteous persons. 
But the seven brethren and the wife are rep- 
resented as obedient to the law of Moses, 
which was the law of God, and consequently 
they are to be regarded as righteous persons. 
And therefore the real question which the 
Sadducees asked the Saviour, is: In the res- 
urrection of these righteous persons — the 
seven brethren and one wife — whose wife of 
the seven is she ? for the seven had her to wife. 

And since the question was concerning the 
condition of the righteous in the resurrection, 



no THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

therefore the reply also was concerning the 
condition of the righteous in the resurrection. 
But how the blessedness in the resurrection 
state of those who have lived righteously, 
proves that there is blessedness in the res- 
urrection state for those who have lived in 
wickedness and died in impenitence, we con- 
fess ourselves utterly unable to see. 

6. The objection of the Sadducees has 
force only on the supposition that the mar- 
rias^e institution exists in the resurrection 
state. "Whose wife of them is she?" Now, 
should we suppose with the Sadducee that if 
the resurrection be a fact, marriage is con- 
nected with it, against what kind of a resur- 
rection would the marriage institution be an 
objection? A happy, or an unhappy one? 
Very plainly not an unhappy one, since the 
unhappiness which would result from mar- 
riage under such circumstances, is the very 
point of the objection made against the res- 
urrection. Against the doctrine of a happy 
resurrection, then, was the objection of the 
Sadducees urged. They seem to have 
thought that a happy resurrection was the 
strong defence of the whole resurrection 
system, and, that once overthrown, the whole 
system would fall of itself. And therefore, 
since the attack falls on the doctrine of a 



OF DIVINE Gh\ACE. m 

happy resurrection, Christ defends that doc- 
trine with the unanswerable reply, ''They 
which shall be accounted worthy to obtain 
that world and the resurrection from the 
dead, neither marry, nor are given in mar- 
riage." But between the doctrine of a happy 
resurrection, which Christ defends, and the 
doctrine that all men without exception wnli 
experience that resurrection, there is no nec- 
essary connection. 

7. Both in the question of the Sadducees 
and in the reply of Jesus, the word translated 
resurrection has prefixed to it the definite 
article. This shows that a special resurrection 
is meant. Should one say, ''The star is hid- 
den by a cloud," or "The lamp is brightly 
shining," a special star, or lamp, w^ould be 
meant. So when the Sadducees and Jesus 
speak of "the resurrection," they mean a 
special resurrection. Now% the Jew^s of that 
dav believed in but one kind of resurrection 
as to occur subsequent to physical death, or 
they believed in more kinds than one as thus 
to occur. If in but one kind, then most cer- 
tainly Jesus is speaking of a blessed resurrec- 
tion; and all will admit that such as expe- 
rience that, are children of God, and blessed. 
But if in more kinds than one, then "the res- 
urrection" sisrnifies that kind of a resurrec- 



112 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tion which believing and righteous Jews 
most, prized and themselves hoped to obtain ; 
that which was to them emphaticall}^ ''the 
resurrection ;" and most certainly that kind 
of a resurrection was a resurrection of bles- 
sedness. But from Christ's affirmation that 
they who shall obtain a blessed resurrection, 
are children of God, it does not follow^ that 
all men without exception are children of 
God. 

In reference to the teachings of Christ the 
following admission has been made by a tal- 
ented advocate of final restoration, the Rev. 
T. S. King: "And 3^et I freely say that I do 
not find the doctrine of the ultimate salvation 
of all souls clearly stated in any text, or ni 
any discourse that has ever been reported 
from the lips of Christ. I do not think that 
we can fairly maintain that the final restora- 
tion of all men is a prominent and explicit 
doctrine of the four gospels." (Two Dis- 
courses, p. 5.) 

Theodore Parker, also an advocate of uni- 
versal salvation, has made the following state- 
ment : "' To me it is quite clear that Jesus 
taught the doctri7ie of eternal damnation, li the 
Evangelists — the first three, 1 mean — are to 
be treated as inspired. I can understand his 
language in no other way." 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 113 

Acts iii:2i: **Whom the heaven must re- 
ceive until the times of restitution of all things, 
which God hath spoken by the mouth of all 
his holy prophets since the world began.'' 
Here the ''all things" are confined to the 
things which God has spoken by the Old 
Testament prophets. And so long as advo- 
cates of universal salvation deny that the 
prophets of the Old Testament teach the doc- 
trine of man's immortality, it seems reason- 
able that they should feel themselves re- 
strained from presenting such a passage as 
the above as proof of a happy immortality 
for all mankind. For, certainly, if the said 
prophets do not teach man's immortality, 
they do not teach his happy and universal 
immortality. Yet, passing by the argumen- 
tum ad hominem, the passage is no proof of 
universal salvation; since no single one of the 
Old Testament prophets, much less all, pre- 
dicted the final salvation of all mankind. In 
immediate connection with the mention of 
'^restitution of all things" the apostle presents 
the prediction of one of said prophets, Moses, 
who says (v. 23), 'Tt shall come to pass that 
every soul which will not hear that Prophet 
(Jesus) shall be destroyed from among the 
people." This destruction from among the 
people is penalty for disobedience and unbe- 
8 



114 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



lief. But this penalty as was proved under the 
previous proposition, is condemnation in the 
resurrection subsequent to physical death. 
And therefore, unless there can be proved a 
restoration from that condemnation, the above 
passage is no proof of the final salvation of 
all mankind. But to prove such a restora- 
tion is impossible. And so long as it is im- 
possible to prove by Old Testament prophe- 
cies the happy immortality of universal man- 
kind, so long will the above passage fail as a 
proof text of universal salvation. But when 
such an immortality can be proved by said 
prophecies, Universalists will no longer need 
the above passage as a proof text. One of 
the Old Testament prophets says of Jesus 
(Ps. ii:9,i2): *'Thou shalt break them with a 
rod of iron ; thou shalt dash them in pieces 
like a potter's vessel." ''Kiss the Son lest he 
be angry, ^rnd ye perish from the way when 
his wrath is kindled but a little." This does 
not seem like a prediction of universal resto- 
ration. Another says (Mai. iv:i), ''The day 
Cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the 
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be 
stubble; and the day that cometh, shall burn 
them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall 
leave them neither root nor branch." It is 
certainly difficult to see that Malachi teaches 
universal restoration. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



115 



Christ throws light on the meaning of *'res- 
titution of all things" in his reply to his dis- 
ciples, Matt, xviirii, '*Elias truly shall first 
come and restore all things." Now, to '*re- 
store all things" means, in other words, to 
accomplish the restoration of all things. And 
if to accomplish the restoration of all things 
does not mean the final salvation of all men, 
neither does the restitution of all things mean 
such salvation. For restitution is no stronger 
in meaning than restoration. Now, since the 
restoration of all things spoken of as to be 
effected by Elias, means simply the work 
wrought by John the Baptist (v. 13), and 
since that work did not save all men, there- 
fore the restitution of all things does not 
mean the salvation of all men. It simpl}^ 
means the ''full establishment" of the Mes- 
siah's kingdom, and that kingdom may be 
fully established, even though its enemies are 
lost'. 

Rom. xiv:ii: *'For it is written, 'As I live, 
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, 
and every tongue shall confess to God.* " It 
is strange that this passage should be offered 
as proof of universal salvation by any one 
who has read the verses immediately preced- 
ing and following. The verses clearly show 
that this passage is introduced as proof of a 



Il6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

universal judgment. '^But why dost thou 
judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at 
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand at 
the judgment seat of Christ." Then as proof 
of so standing, comes the nth verse: ''For it 
is written, ' As I live, saith the Lord, 
every knee shall bow to me, and every 
tongue shall confess to God." And then 
further, as an inference from this proof, comes 
the I2th verse, ''So then everv one of us shall 
give account of himself to God." But in 
what way the fact of a universal judgment 
proves a universal salvation, puzzles any one 
but a Universalist to see. The sentiment 
certainly seems anti-Scriptural ; for in the 
universal judgment mentioned in Matt, xxv: 
31-46, the King says to them on the left 
hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed, mto ever- 
lasting fire." 

But should it be said that the passage in 
Isaiah to which Paul refers teaches that every 
one who confesses to God is to possess in the 
Lord righteousness and strength, we reply 
that such a view of that passage is an erro- 
neous one. It teaches that every tongue or 
person shall confess to God, but does not 
teach that every person thus confessing, shall 
say, "In the Lord have I righteousness and 
strength." Isa. xlv:23, 24 is the passage re- 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



117 



ferred to, and translating the 24th verse rather 
more strictly than is done in the English ver- 
sion, is as follows (v. 23) : '' I have sworn by 
m3^self, the word is gone out of my mouth in 
righteousness and shall not return. That unto 
me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall 
swear." (v. 24) : ''Surely to me every tongue 
shall say, In the Lord are righteousness and 
strength. Unto him all that are incensed 
against him shall come and shall be ashamed." 

To help make the correctness of this trans- 
lation evident to the reader not versed in 
Hebrew, we give a literal translation of the 
words of the 24th verse in the order in which 
they occur : 

'' Surely — In the Lord, to me [every 
tongue] shall say, righteousnesses [are] and 
strength. Unto him shall come and shall be 
ashamed all that are incensed with him." 

The correctness of this translation of the 
separate words of the verse (together with 
the insertion of the words in brackets so far as 
they bear on the question at issue) we pre- 
sume no Restorationist able to read Hebrew 
will dispute. Taking this for granted, the 
point to be determined is, whether the words 
*' to me" qualify " shall say," or qualify ''right- 
eousnesses and strength." If the former, the 
verse reads thus: "Surely every tongue shall 



Il8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

say to me, In the Lord are righteounesses and 
strength/' If the latter, it then reads: 
*' Surely every tongue shall say, In the Lord 
righteousnesses and strength are to me/' 

That these qualify " shall say" the follow- 
ing reasons furnish sufficient evidence : 

1. In the original, the words '' to me" join 
'' shall say," while they are more distant from 
*' righteousnesses and strength/' 

2. It is a fact, as the 23d verse teaches, that 
all knees must bow and tongues must swxar 
to God. Now it is in perfect harmony with 
this fact that *' to me" is made to qualify 
** shall say," thus : "Unto me every knee shall 
bow, and tongue shall swear — surely shall say 
to me/' etc. 

This bowing of the knee and swearing of 
the tongue is plainly more indicative of the 
authorit}^ of God than of the faith and right- 
eousness of man. 

3. To join '' shall say" and ** to me" is in 
perfect and plain harmony with Paul's under- 
standing of the passage as given in Rom. 
xiv:ii, 12, thus: " For it is written, As I live, 
saith the Lord, ever}^ knee shall bow to me, 
and every tongue shall confess to God. So 
then every one of us shall give account of 
himself to God." 

Paul here uses the passage as a warning. 



OF DIVINE Gh\ACE. 



119 



and not as a proof of security. But to con- 
nect the '' to me" with '^righteousness and 
strength" makes the passage not a warning, 
but a proof of security. 

4. The context forbids that the passage be 
so understood as to favor universal salvation. 

Verse 17 says of Israel, "Ye shall not be 
ashamed nor confounded world without end." 

But our verse (24) says, '' All that are in- 
censed against him shall be ashamed." 

5. The simplicity and frequency of the 
grammatical construction in the one case, and 
the complexity and infrequency in the other. 

I Cor. xv:55. '' O death, where is thy 
sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? " 

The word here rendered ''grave" is in the 
original Greek, " Hades." And the inquiry 
arises as to what Paul means by '' Hades." 
And to obtain a correct answer to the inquir}^ 
let us notice first, the context; second, other 
passages where the word occurs. 

In the previous context Paul asserts three 
principal facts : First, the resurrection of 
Christ — *' He rose again the third day accord- 
ing to the Scriptures," (v. 4); second, the 
sure resurrection of the dead — '' If there be 
no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ 
not risen," (v. 13) ; third, the transformation 
of believers who shall be alive at the sound- 



120 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

ing of the last trumpet, (vs. 51, 52): *' We 
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at 
the last trump." 

Then, after affirming the necessity of this 
glorious change, and stating that it occurs in 
accordance with a specific prediction, he 
utters the triumphant language of our pas- 
sage : '* O death, where is thy sting? O 
Hades, where is thy victory?" The subject 
then on which the apostle is discoursing is, 
the triumph of dead and dying men over 
Death and Hades. Now, since these men 
are to triumph over Hades, Hades must, of 
course, be considered as in antagonism to 
them. But since, as all parties affirm, the 
apostle himself and those who sleep in Jesus, 
and the beloved brethren whom Paul ex- 
horted to always abound in the work of the 
Lord, and the holiest of Christians, are in- 
cluded among these dead and dying men ; 
and since it is strongly anti-scriptural, if not 
blasphemous, to assert that the holiest of 
Christians must undergo positive punishment 
in Hades, therefore Hades must be under- 
stood here, not as a place where departed 
spirits suffer punishment, but as a place where 
dwell, until the resurrection, the departed 
souls of those who sleep in Jesus. And when 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 121 

that resurrection takes place, then these souls 
and all Christians triumph over Death and 
Hades. And since not a hint is given in the 
whole chapter (we elsewhere explain v. 22) 
that the wicked are to experience the blessed 
resurrection of which this chapter treats; 
and since it is asserted (v. 58) that the labor 
of Christians is not in vain, which must be in 
vain if the wicked experience the same tri- 
umph, therefore the defeat of Hades by the 
triumphant resurrection of all Christians, is 
no proof of universal salvation. 

The ten other passages of the New Testa- 
ment in which Hades occurs, are as follows : 

Matt. xi:23, and Luke x:i5 : ''And thou Ca- 
pernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, 
shalt be brought down to hell (Hades)." In 
both these places used not in a literal but a 
figurative sense, since in contrast with a 
figurative heaven. 

Matt. xvi:i8 : '* Upon this rock 1 will build 
my church, and the gates of hell (Hades) shall 
not prevail against it." Here the " gates of 
Hades '' signify the powers of the unseen 
world, which are considered as antagonistic 
to Christ's church, because they attempt to 
hold the people of Christ in subjection. 

Luke xvi:23 : '' And in hell (Hades) he lifted 
up his eyes, being in torments." He was, in- 



122 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

deed, in torment in Hades. But this does 
not prove that all souls in Hades were in 
torment, any more than the fact that some 
persons were drowned in a certain river, 
proves that all persons who were in that 
river were drowned. 

Acts ii:27, 31 : '' Thou wilt not leave my soul 
in hell (Hades)." '' His soul was not left in 
hell (Hades)." Spoken of the soul of Christ, 
and therefore meaning simply the world of 
the dead, since Christ experienced no suffer- 
ing after his physical death. * 

Rev. i:i8 : '' 1 am alive for evermore, Amen; 
and have the keys of hell (Hades) and death." 

Rev. vi:8 : " And I looked and behold a 
pale horse; and his name that sat on him was 
Death, and hell (Hades) followed with him." 

Rev. xx:i3: *' And death and hell (Hades) 
delivered up the dead which were in them." 

Rev. xx:i4: ''And death and hell (Hades) 
were cast into the lake of fire." Probably in 
all these places used to signify the unseen 
abode of disembodied spirits. Thus it is seen 
both from the context and the general signifi- 
cation ol Hades in the New Testament that 
there is no necessary connection between the 
total defeat of Hades and universal salvation. 

Rom. viii:i9-23: '* For the earnest expecta- 
tion of the creature waiteth for the mamfesta- 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



123 



tion of the sons of God. For the creature 
was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but 
by reason of him who hath subjected the 
same in hope, because the creature itself also 
shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of 
the children of God. For we know that the 
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in 
pain together, until now. And not only they 
but ourselves also, which have the first fruits 
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan with- 
in ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, 
the redemption of the body." 

The deliverance referred to in the 21st 
verse is doubtless actual and complete. And 
therefore the force of the passage as an 
argument for universal salvation depends on 
the meaning of the word translated '' crea- 
ture " in the same verse. If that word as 
there used includes of necessity in its mean- 
ing the entire human race or that entire 
part of the race which lives and dies 
without faith in Christ, then the passage 
presents a powerful argument tor universal 
salvation. But if the word as there used nec- 
essarily includes in its meaning, neither the 
entire human race, nor that entire portion of 
it which lives and dies without faith in Christ, 
then the passage furnishes no proof of univer- 
sal salvation. 



124 



THE SCRIPTURAL VEIW 



That the word as there used does not in- 
clude in its meaning the entire race is evident 
from the fact that in the 23d verse the apostle 
plainly distinguishes between believers in 
Christ who have received the '' first fruits of 
the Spirit," and '' the creature,'' or " the 
whole creation." For he says : ^' And not only 
the creature, or the whole creation, but our- 
selves also which have the first fruits of 
the Spirit, even we, ourselves, do groan 
within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, 
the redemption of the body." This distinction 
is so plain that none need overlook it. 

2. The undeniable fact that the sacred 
writers represent inanimate creation as pos- 
sessing the feelings of rational beings, ex- 
cludes all necessity for including in the mean- 
ing of '^creature" the persistently wicked. 

The prophet Jeremiah says (xii:4): *'How 
long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of 
every field wither, for the wickedness of 
them that dwell therein." 

Isaiah says (xxiv:4,5): ''Thie earth mourneth 
and fadeth away, the world languisheth, the 
haughty people of the earth do languish. 
The earth also is defiled under the inhab- 
itants thereof, because they have transgressed 
the laws." 

Here each prophet represents the land or 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



125 



earth as experiencing suffering because of the 
wickedness of the inhabitants. Now, it surely 
is just as appropriate for Paul to represent 
the inanimate creation as expecting deliver- 
ance from woe in common with the sons of 
God, as for the prophets to represent the 
earth as experiencing calamity in common 
with wicked men. Since it not willingly 
shared in the curse through Adam (Gen. iii: 
17), let it willingly share in the blessing 
through Christ. 

But the sacred writers go still further than 
we have quoted. And this very same prin- 
ciple of joyful sympathy which Paul repre- 
sents as existing between the children of God 
and the inanimate creation, they also repre- 
sent as existing between the people of God 
and the inanimate creation. 

Isaiah says (xlix:i3): *' Sing, O heavens, 
and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into 
singing, O mountains ; for the Lord hath com- 
forted his people, and will have mercy upon 
his afflicted." 

The Psalmist says (xcviii:8,9): ''Let the 
floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful 
together before the Lord, for he cometh to 
judge the earth; with righteousness shall he 
judge the world, and the people with equity." 
These passages of Scripture do plainly show 



126 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

that there is no necessity whatever for in- 
cluding in the meaning of ''creature'' (as in 
Rom. viii:2i) those who live and die rejecting 
Christ. 

3. In the writings of Josephus, the Jewish 
historian, who was contemporaneous with 
Paul, there occurs a passage which shows, 
not only that there is no necessity for includ- 
ing the unbelieving in the ''creature" or crea- 
tion spoken of, but also that, without positive 
proof to that effect, it is really improper to 
include them. In his "Discourse to the 
Greeks concerning Hades" Josephus^ speaks 
as follows : "For all men, the just as well as 
the unjust, shall be brought before God, the 
word ; for to him hath the Father committed 
all judgment; and he, in order to fulfil the 
will of his Father, shall come as Judge, whom 
we call Christ. For Minos and Radamanthus 
are not the judges as you Greeks do suppose, 
but he whom God, even the Father, hath glo- 
rified ; concerning whom we have elsewhere 
given a more particular account for the sake 
of those who seek after truth. This person, 
exercising the righteous judgment of the 
Father toward all men, hath prepared a just 
sentence for every one according to his 
works ; at whose judgment seat, when all 

*Whiston's translation. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 127 

men and angels and demons shall stand, they 
will send forth one voice and say, Just is thy 
judgment; the rejoinder to which will bring 
a just sentence upon both parties, by giving 
justly to those that have done well an ever- 
lasting fruition ; but allotting to the lovers 
of wicked works eternal punishment. To 
these belong the unquenchable fire, and that 
without end, and a certain fiery worm never 
dying, and not destroying the body, but con- 
tinuing its eruption out of the body with 
never ceasing grief ; neither will sleep give 
ease to these men, nor will the night afford 
them comfort ; death will not free them from 
their punishment, nor will the int^erceding 
prayers of their kindred profit them ; for the 
just are no longer seen by them, nor are they 
thought worthy of remembrance; but the 
just shall remember onl}' their righteous 
actions whereby they have attained the heav- 
enly kingdom, in which there is no sleep, no 
sorrow, no corruption, no care, no night, no 
day measured by time, no sun driven in his 
course along the circle of heaven by necessity, 
and measuring out the bounds and conver- 
sions of the seasons, for the better illumina- 
tion of the light of men ; no moon decreasing 
or increasing, or introducing a variety of sea- 
sons, nor will she then moisten the earth ; no 



128 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

burning sun, no bear turning round (the pole), 
no Orion to rise, no wandering of innumer- 
able stars. The earth then will not be diffi- 
cult to be passed over, nor will it be hard to 
find out the court of Paradise, nor will there 
be any fearful roaring of the sea, forbidding 
the passengers to walk on it ; even that will 
be made easily passable to the just, though it 
will not be void of moisture. Heaven will 
not then be uninhabitable by men, and it will 
not be impossible to discover the way of as- 
cending thither. The earth will not then be 
uncultivated, nor require too much labor of 
men, but will bring forth its fruits of its own 
accord, and will be well adorned with them. 
The number of the righteous will continue, 
and never fail, together with righteous 
angels and spirits (of God), and with his word, 
as a choir of righteous men and women that 
never grow old, and continue in an incorrup- 
tible state, singing hymns to God who hath 
advanced them to that happiness by the 
means of .a regular institution of life ; with 
whom the whole creation also will lift up a 
perpetual hymn from corruption to incorrup- 
tion, as glorified by a splendid and pure 
spirit. It will not then be restrained by a 
bond of necessity, but with a lively freedom 
shall offer up a voluntary hymn, and shall 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



129 



praise him that made them, together with the 
angels and spirits and men now freed from 
all bondage/' If Josephus, while believing in 
endless punishment can yet speak of *'the 
whole creation*' lifting up ''a perpetual 
hymn from corruption into incorruption," 
surely Paul, while believing in endless punish- 
ment, may be allowed to say : '*The creature 
itself shall also be delivered from the bondage 
of corruption into the glorious liberty of the 
children of God." 

4. The immediate context forbids the idea 
that the persistently wicked are included in 
the '^creature" spoken of in the 21st verse. 
For the ^'creature" in v. 21 is the very same 
as in V. 19. But in the ''creature" of v. 19 
the wicked in heart cannot be included. For 
neither in figurative nor literal statement can 
it be truthfully said, ''that the earnest expect- 
ation of the wicked waiteth for the manifesta- 
tion of the sons of God." This manifestation 
doubtless brings on God's children glorious 
blessings. Now since the unbelieving and 
wicked either have no faith in those blessings, 
or lack that regard for God's people which 
would cause them to wait with earnest expect- 
ation for blessings on them, the wicked must 
necessarily be excluded from the meaning of 
"creature" as used in the 21st verse. 

9 



I30 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Rom. v:i8 : '* So then, as through one tres- 
pass the judgment came unto all men to con- 
demnation, even so through one act of 
rio^hteousness the free gift came unto all men 
to justification of life." (Rev. Ver.) 

Here the question for decision is : Must the 
all men justified be the very same in persons 
and in number as the all men condemned? 
Or, may the persons justified be less in 
number than the persons condemned? The 
one trespass is Adam's. The one right- 
eousness is Christ's. In verse 14 Paul sa)^s 
that Adam is a figure or type of him that 
was to come. There is, then, a resemblance 
between the Adam and the Christ. This 
resemblance cannot be in their moral char- 
acter, for the one was a transgressor, the 
other was sinless. Through transgression is 
condemnation, through righteousness is justi- 
fication. Through Adam's transgression is 
condemnation. Through Christ's righteous- 
ness is justification. As through Adam's 
transgression there is condemnation to all 
men, so through Christ's righteousness there 
is justification to all men. How, through 
Adam's sin, is there condemnation to all men ? 
Because of some relation existing between 
Adam and all men. Adam is the human 
father, the all men are his children. They 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



131 



share his character. They stand or fall 
through him. In his standing they stand, in 
his falling they fall. He stands for them. 
All men that he stands for share, through his 
moral act, his condition. Do any more men? 
No. Then, through Adam's act of transgres- 
sion, all his children — all his family — were 
condemned. This is in accordance with 
what the Scriptures teach concerning Adam 
after his transgression. *' And Adam begat 
a son in his own likeness, after his image.'* 
(Gen. v:3.) And, also, no more men than 
were his family were condemned through 
his transgression. In the first part of the 
comparison the all men relate to Adam, and 
are his family. Just so, in the latter part of 
the comparison, the all men relate to Christ, 
and are his family. 

Thus: As Adam and his family. 

So Christ and his family. 

The comparison is between x\dam and 
his influence over his entire family, and 
Christ and his influence over his entire 
family. Adam and Christ are two heads 
of families. Inserting now these ideas into 
the comparison, we have : 

As through Adam's transgression all 
Adam's family were condemned, so through 
Christ's righteousness all Christ's family 
shall be justified. 



133 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



But who are Christ's family ? As Adam's 
family are those who follow him in line of 
natural descent, and partake of his nature 
and are unregenerate, so Christ's family are 
those who follow him in line of spiritual 
descent and partake of his nature, and are 
regenerate — are spirit-born. As the Script- 
ure elsewhere says: If an}^ man have not the 
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his ; and. Ye 
must be born again. The family of Christ, 
then, are the regenerate. Putting this idea 
into the comparison, we have : As through 
Adam's transgression all his family were 
condemned, so through Christ's righteous- 
ness all the regenerate shall be justified. 
This is the meaning of the verse. And since 
there is nothing here that teaches that, 
sooner or later, all the children of Adam 
shall become regenerate, therefore the verse 
affords no proof of mankind's universal justi- 
fication. This manner of understanding the 
verse is in exact harmony with what Paul 
teaches in the context. He says, in verse 17: 
They that receive the abundance of grace 
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in 
life through Jesus Christ It is also in exact 
harmony with what Jesus teaches in Matt. 
vii:23: "I never knew you, depart from me, 
ye that work iniquity." 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



133 



We are inclined to think that some who 
accept the Bible as the word of God have 
been misled as to the true teaching of this 
verse, because they have not correctly under- 
stood the influence of the two words '* as '* 
and '' so/' 

By virtue of these two words, that princi- 
ple that ties the first "all men" to Adam and 
limits them to Adam's family; that same 
principle ties the second "all men'' to Christ, 
and limits them to Christ's family. 

In order to bring out, if possible, the mean- 
ing of the verse yet more clearly, we men- 
tion the following parallel statement by way 
of illustration : 

As by the unwise management of Dr. A, 
all the inmates of the hospital suffered loss, 
so by the wise management of Dr. B, all 
the inmates of the hospital experienced 
benefit. 

This sentence in the manner of its con- 
struction is a perfect parallel to the verse 
which is under consideration. The " as" and 
" so" are similarly placed, and exert similar 
influence. And the number in each part of 
the comparison is "all." 

In this parallel sentence the first " all" sig- 
nifies all the inmates under Dr. A's man- 
agement; and the second "all" signifies all 



134 



THE SCRIPTUI^AL VIEW 



the inmates under Dr. B's management. 
But the management of the one was subse- 
quent to the management of the other; and 
the number of the inmates of the hospital 
was constantly changing. Under Dr. B, 
there may have been, for anything the sen- 
tence says to the contrary, twice the number 
that there was under Dr. A. And also for 
anything the sentence says to the contrary, 
there may have been under Dr. B's man- 
agement but one-half of the other number. 
And just as in this sentence, which, so far as 
reasoning from the one sentence to the other is 
concerned, is a perfect parallel to that in Rom. 
v:i8, the two '' alls" are not bound together 
into equality of number, so also in Rom. v: 
1 8 the two '' alls" are not bound together into 
equality of number. 

Permit the mentioning of another parallel. 

As by Gen. McDowell's defeat at Bull 
Run all Union soldiers were depressed, so by 
Gen. Grant's victory at Petersburg, all Union 
soldiers were encouraged. 

This con^parison is of a like construction 
to the one in Rom. v:i8. Each member of the 
comparison has all Union soldiers, just as each 
member of the comparison in Rom. v:i8 has 
'*all men." 

But the number of soldiers comprised in 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



135 



the phrase '^all Union soldiers" in the first 
member of the comparison, is very different 
from the number comprised in the phrase 
** all Union soldiers" in the second member 
of the comparison. The "all Union soldiers" 
first spoken of were probably less than two 
hundred thousand men ; and the "all Union 
solders" next spoken of were probably nearly 
a million of men. And notwithstanding 
everything the comparison says, the two 
numbers might be reversed. That is to say, 
the comparison would be just as correct and 
appropriate if there had been one million 
Union soldiers in the time of Gen. McDow- 
ell's defeat, and but two hundred thousand 
Union soldiers in the time of Gen. Grant's 
victory. And thus there is nothing in the 
sentence that compels the one multitude of 
"all Union soldiers" to equal in number the 
other multitude of "all Union soldiers." 

And since the sentence we are considering 
is a fair parallel in construction to Rom. v:i8, 
therefore there is nothing in Rom. v:i8 that 
compels the one multitude of "all men" to 
equal in number the other multitude of "all 
men." 

It seems that the Bible nowhere states the 
exact proportion between the numbers of the 
saved and the lost. And the Christ when 



136 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

asked, ''Lord, are there few that be saved?" 
replied, '' Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; 
for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter 
in and shall not be able ;" and gave no insight 
into the comparative numbers of the lost and 
the saved. 

Influenced by the teaching of other parts 
of Scripture we believe that Paul in the last 
"all men" of Rom.v:i8, meant not '"all" of 
Adam*s race, but only ''some" of Adam's race. 
If so, why then did not Paul say "some men"? 

Because of the relation which the second 
"men" in the sentence sustains to Christ. 
The flow of thought is as follows : As, Adam 
— sin of Adam — condemnation of Adam and 
all his natural descendants; So, Christ — 
righteousness of Christ — justification of Christ 
and all his spiritual descendants. 

Shall Christ be justified and not all his spir- 
itual family ? No, indeed. As Adam brings 
into condemnation all his, so Christ brings 
into justification all his. 

And so Paul must say "all" in order to 
affirm that no single one of Christ's family 
shall be condemned ; but that every one of 
Christ's family shall be justified. 

And thus he affirms, as the "so" requires, 
that Christ's influence is as universal over his 
family, as Adam's influence is over his fam- 



OF DIVINE GRACE, . 137 

ily. The totality of the saved are saved by 
the Christ. There is no other Saviour. 
*' There is none other name under heaven 
given among men, whereby we must be 
saved.*' *' We are shut up unto the faith.'' 
" As many as received him, to them gave he 
power to become the sons of God, even to 
them that believe on his name ; which were 
born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, 
nor of the will of man, but of God." 

Receive this divine physician, actually 
apply to him for the healing which he 
bestows, and you will be justified and saved. 

That the children of Adam should have a 
being and character like his, should not be 
thought an unfair thing. It is in accord- 
ance with the act of God in his constitution 
of all living, earthly things. Man, beast, 
bird, insect, reptile, tree, plant, flower, all 
produce according to their kind. '' Men do 
not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of 
thistles. '' And the earth brought forth grass 
and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the 
tree yielding fruit whose seed was in itself 
after his kind. And God saw that it was 
good." (Gen. i:i2.) " And God made the 
beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle 
after their kind, and everything that creepeth 
upon the earth after his kind, and God saw 
that it was good." (Gen. i:25.) 



138 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

** There is one k'ind of flesh of men, another 
flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another 
of birds/' (I Cor. xv:39.) Neither the Bible 
nor natural science knows anything of that 
sort of evolution in nature which makes the 
offspring different in kind from the parent. 
From bird, bird ; from beast, beast ; from 
wheat,* wheat ; from man, man. Any other 
law would cut up the very roots of human 
knowledge, and in all likelihood destroy 
man from the earth. How much better 
God's law^ ! The living creature after his 
kind, which God saw was good. This law in 
a thousand forms has wrought good for hu- 
manity ever since the first man's creation. 
But shall we receive good at the hands of the 
Lord, and not receive evil? (Job ii:io.) If 
the law be good shall man complain when by 
his fault the law works against him ? Had 
man remained in goodness, he would have 
had perpetual favor. In this he would have 
greatly rejoiced. Through transgression he 
lost favor. He should still say with Paul — 
The law is holy, just, and good. (Rom. vii: 
12.) And with Paul he should seek refuge in 
him who is the wisdom of God, and the 
power of God unto salvation. 

The position which Christ occupies, sug- 
gests a miracle. If he were simplv an ordi- 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



139 



nary descendant of Adam, would he not, like 
all ordinary descendants, be himself a trans- 
gressor? "As in Adam all die" — obtain a 
dying and fallen nature, become personal 
transgressors, and experience condemnation. 
But the Christ had no fallen nature, and no 
personal transgressions. And apart from 
violence we think the holy body of the Christ 
would never have died. 

But however that may be, he was '^sepa- 
rate from sinners/' (Heb. vii:26.) He "was 
tempted in all points, like as we are, yet with- 
out sin." A personal sin would have made it 
impossible for him to be a fountain of spir- 
itual life — to be, as the apostle indicates, the 
anti-type to Adam. He would, then, have 
been but a part of universally fallen humanity, 
deriving their origin from Adam. But, on 
the contrary, he stands in contrast to Adam. 
Adam transgresses and dies. Christ obeys 
and lives ; lives with "the power of endless 
life." (Heb. vii:i6.) 

There must be a new power at work. The 
Christ cannot be of the natural posterity of 
Adam. Adam was a miraculous formation. 
So was the Christ, but of a higher order. 
And so we read as the message of an angel to 
a virgin, blessed and highly favored: " The 
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the 



140 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; 
therefore also that holy thing which shall be 
born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. 
And the Lord God shall give unto him the 
throne of his father David, and he shall reign 
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his 
kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke i:35, 

32,33.) 

The first Adam was put upon probation ; 
the last Adam was predicted to triumph. 
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the sec- 
ond man is of heaven. The first man is the 
family head of earth-born men ; the second 
man is the family-head of spirit-born men. 
As Paul suggests when he sa3^s that Adam 
was a type, a resemblance, of him that was to 
come. (Rom. v:i4.) The idea that Christ is 
the head of a family, is in accord with Scrip- 
ture. Isaiah says (liiiiio): ''When thou 
shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall 
see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the 
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his 
hand." Every regenerate soul is of the seed 
of Christ, and is a member of the spiritual 
family of Christ. 

If Paul had omitted the words ''as" and 
"so," and, changing the construction of the 
verse somewhat, simply written : Through 
Adam all men were condemned, and through 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



141 



the Christ all the same men shall be justified, 
he would have given an argument and dec- 
laration of mankind's universal justification, 
which no skill of man could overthrow. But 
he did not so write. 

And his purpose in Rom. v:i8 doubtless 
was, not to make an argument for universal 
justification, but, by declaration of truth, to 
magnify the Christ, and declare the justifica- 
tion of all the people of Christ. 

Other answers are given by evangelical 
Christians, but that the difference of numbers 
is the true answer, is confirmed by the follow- 
ing facts : 

I. When Paul says, " Even so through one 
act of righteousness the free gift came unto 
all men to justification of life" (v:i8 R. V.) 
he teaches that each one of these all men is, 
sooner or later, to possess a state of justifica- 
tion before God. In the first half of the verse 
where he says, ^'Judgment came unto all men 
to condemnation," the condemnatory judg- 
ment was an actual fact, showing itself in the 
experience of mankind. It fastened itself 
upon every child of the first Adam. **As it 
is written, There is none righteous, no, not 
one," just so Paul teaches that, as an actual 
fact, each one of the second *' all men " of 
verse 18, shall experience a state of justifica- 



142 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



tion. As the all men of the first clause have 
a certain experience, so the all men of the 
second clause have a certain experience. It 
is as real in the one case as in the other. It 
is the prediction of one under the inspiration 
of God. God, who sees the end from the 
beginning-, instructs his inspired one to teach 
that as a certain *' all men '' came into con- 
demnation, so a certain *' all men '* came into 
justification of life. There was no difficulty 
in God's so instructing his prophet. The 
entire conduct of every person is plain to the 
eye of God. ''All things are naked and laid 
open before the eyes of Him with whom we 
have to do.'' (Heb. iv:i3.) 

God here substantially says, ''A certain 'all 
men' shall receive m}^ gospel, and be justified, 
and constitute my church on earth." No 
believer in God and revelation should hesi- 
tate to receive a saying like this, from God. 
It is very much on a par with the prediction 
of Christ where he says, *' Upon this rock I 
will build my church ; and the gates of Hades 
shall not prevail against it." This last pre- 
diction calls for God's oversight as really as 
the other. Both predictions say, The race of 
Christian believers shall not fail. Both pre- 
dictions shall be made good by the work of 
the Holy Ghost on human hearts. I see 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



H3 



no more difficulty in believing the one than 
the other. The ''all men" justified consti- 
tute from age to age the church of Jesus 
Christ. 

2. A careful notice of Paul's series of con- 
trasted opposites leads to the conclusion that 
the ''all men" of the second clause are 
actually justified. 

In verse i6, he mentions the judgment, and 
its opposite, the free gift. Also, in verse i6, 
the result of the judgment — condemnation, 
and the result of the free gift — justification. 

In verse 17, the result of the judgment — 
the reign of death, and the result of the free 
gift — its recipients reigning in life. 

In verse 18, the result of one trespass — all 
men condemned, and the result of one act of 
righteousness — all men justified. 

In verse 19, the result of one man's diso- 
bedience — the many made sinners, and the 
result of the obedience of one — the many 
made righteous. 

Here are four pairs of contrasted oppo- 
sites. And in each of these four pairs of 
opposites the first of the two things men- 
tioned is an actual experience of men. Con- 
demnation — the reign of death — all men con- 
demned — the many made sinners — these four 
things actually take hold of men, and bring 
men under their power. 



144 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



And these four things are uniform in 
power. When one is effective, all are effect- 
ive. Now in these four pairs, the principle 
that applies to the first of the two things 
mentioned, applies also to the second of the 
two things mentioned. That is to say, if in 
the series of four opposites any one of the 
second of the two things mentioned is an 
actual fact in the experience of men, then the 
other three of the things mentioned second 
in the series are also actual facts in the ex- 
perience of men. The law that runs through 
the first things in the four pairs, must run 
through the second things in the four pairs. 

Now the second thing of the pair in verse 
17, is an actual fact in the experience of men 
— those who receive the free gift reign in life, 
and some receive it, therefore the three other 
of the second things mentioned are also actual 
facts in the experience of men. And so when 
in the series of second things mentioned Paul 
says, ** The free gift came unto all men unto 
justification of life,'* the meaning is — the free 
gift unto justification of life enters into the 
actual experience of the *' all men " m.en- 
tioned. It takes hold of them and brings 
them graciously under its power. It secures 
their justification. As sa3's the prophet, 
'' Thy people shall be willing in the day of 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



H5 



thy power.'* (Ps. cx:3). Again, in these 
pairs, opposite things are contrasted. Now 
the opposite of condemnation is more than 
justification offered, it is justification effected. 

3. In V. 18, Paul says— the judgment came 
unto condemnation — and the free gift came 
unto justification of life. Now in Chap, vi: 
23, Paul states that the free gift of God is 
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. There- 
fore, when the free gift effects justification, it 
brings the soul into a state of eternal life. 
The free gift of God justifies the soul, and 
blesses it with eternal life. Who are the 
souls thus blessed ? They are the '' all men " 
mentioned second in Rom. v:i8. As the ''all 
men " first mentioned experience the condem- 
nation; so, the ''all men" mentioned second, 
experience the justification and eternal life. 
It is not simply life for a year, nor for a cen- 
tury, but it is eternal life. It abides with 
the soul when it passes over into the heavenly 
glory. "The gifts and calling of God are 
without repentance." (Rom. xi:29.) 

The water which Christ has given each of 
these souls to drink, has become in them a 
well of water springing up into everlasting 
life. And these souls will never know thirst 
again (John iv:i4.) 

Now, in case we sa}^ the second " all men " 
10 



1^6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

of Rom. v:i8 are equal in number to the first 
**all men" of that verse, what is this but to 
say that Paul teaches Universalism ? 

Therefore, the right answer to the Univers- 
alist argument from Rom. v:i8 is, the num- 
ber of the second '' all men '' is less than the 
number of the first '* all men." 

4. A parallel statement which helped us 
in ascertaining the inequality of the two '' alls" 
will also help in ascertaining whether the jus- 
tification of life is merely offered, or actually 
bestowed of God, and possessed by its 
recipients. 

''As by the unwise management of Dr. A, 
all the inmates of the hospital suffered loss; 
so, by the wise management of Dr. B, all the 
inmates of the hospital experienced benefit." 

Here, in the first place, loss was an actual 
experience of all the inmates under Dr. A. 
And in the second place, benefit was an actual 
experience of all the inmates under Dr. B. 

They were not merely offered benefit. 
The}^ received benefit. Just so in PauTs 
statement in Rom. v:i8, where he says, '' The 
free gift came upon all men to justification of 
life." The great benefit is not merel}^ offered 
to the ''all men," but is bestowed upon them 
of God. They receive it and become justi- 
fied in God's sight. 



OF DTVINE GRACE. 



147 



Paul, as an inspired man, knew the mean- 
ing of words and the method of constructing 
sentences ; and we say here without fear of 
successful contradiction, that the method in 
which he has constructed his sentence in 
Rom. v:i8, demands that the second '^ all 
men*' mentioned receive and possess justifi- 
cation of life. 

5. A right understanding of the statement 
in V. 20, '* grace did abound more exceed- 
ingly," confirms the belief that the second 
''all men" of Rom. v:i8 are justified and 
everlastingly saved. 

''Where sin abounded grace did much more 
abound." The abounding of sin is the pre- 
vailing of sin. Sin did not abound so long as 
our first parents were merely tempted to sin. 
But sin abounded when the temptation took 
effect, and sin was enacted. Sin abounded 
when our first parents, under temptation, 
chose to sin, and thereby came under its 
power. Sin, then, reigned over them. The 
abounding of sin is the reigning of sin. Now, 
among mankind the opposite thing to the 
abounding of sin is the abounding of grace. 
These two things are opposites. Now grace 
merely offered is not an opposite to the 
abounding of sin. Grace may be offered and 
sin may abound, at the same time, in reference 



148 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

to the same persons. Grace was offered and 
sin abounded in the multitudes who rejected 
Noah's preaching, and perished in the deluge. 
In reference to those multitudes, disobedient 
and unbelieving, it cannot be truthfully said 
that grace abounded. And wh}' ? Because 
offered grace is not abounding grace. Just 
as where sin abounds it reigns, so where 
grace abounds it reigns. Just as where sin 
abounds it brings the soul under its power, 
so where grace abounds it brings the soul 
under its power. Abounding grace is win- 
ning grace, successful grace. Grace abounded 
with Noah, with Abraham, with David, with 
Paul. And not with Cain, and not with Esau, 
and not with Judas. Now, grace abounds 
in them who are connected with Christ. 
Adam's trespass makes sin abound. And 
Christ's righteousness makes grace abound. 
The one opens the floodgate of sin ; the other 
opens the floodgate of righteousness. Adam's 
trespass makes sin abound in the case of the 
''all men" mentioned first in Rom. v:i8. 
And Christ's righteousness makes grace 
abound in the case of the '' all men " men- 
tioned second in Rom. v: 18. The first ''all 
men " comprise all the descendants of Adam. 
The second " all men " comprise all the re- 
deemed of Christ. The first " all men " are 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



149 



connected with Adam by natural descent. 
The second ''all men" are connected with 
Christ by the grace of God, and the Holy 
Spirit's power. " Which were born not of 
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will 
of man, but of God." (John i:i3.) There are 
two multitudes. The head of the first multi- 
tude is Adam. The head of the second multi- 
tude is Christ. As Paul says, '' The head of 
every man is Christ." (I Cor, xi:3.) And as 
Christ, the head, has entered heaven, so will 
every one of whom he is the head ultimately 
enter there. " The Lord will give grace and 
glory.'' (Ps. Ixxxivii I.) 

6. That grace abounding means — not grace 
offered, but — grace taking effect, is fully con- 
firmed by Paul's idea of abounding grace 
as set forth in II Cor. ix:8. He says : " God 
is able to make all grace abound toward you ; 
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all 
things, may abound to every good work." 
Now, when all grace abounded toward the 
Corinthians, it was Paul's idea that the Co- 
rinthians would abound to every good work. 
The grace abounding results in generosity of 
heart, in a Christ-like disposition. And Paul 
makes this indisputable by his quotation from 
Ps. cxii:9, which immediately follows. He 
quotes (v. 9): '* As it is written. He [the good 



I50 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



man, the man with whom grace abounds] 
hath dispersed abroad ; he hath given to the 
poor ; his righteousness remaineth forever/* 
Here we see that grace abounding, not only 
takes effect, but takes effect forever. 

And so the real meaning of Rom. v:i8 is — 
As through Adam's trespass the judgment 
came upon all his children (the earth-born) to 
condemnation; even so through Christ's 
righteousness the free gift came upon all his 
children (the spirit-born) to justification of 
life. ** Behold, I, and the children which God 
hath given me." (Heb. ii:i3). 

7. In Rom. iv:25 Paul, speaking of Christ 
says, ** Who was delivered up for our tres- 
passes, and was raised for our justification." 
(Rev. V^er.) By common consent the justifica- 
tion of this verse is the justification of believ- 
ers, and is connected with pardon and a title 
to everlasting life. Now, the justification of 
Rom. v:i8 is the same justification. It is sig- 
nified by the same Greek word (dikaiosis) and 
should be considered as having the same 
meaning, unless some good reason can be 
given to the contrary. In both cases the jus- 
tification comes through Christ. Now, no 
person having justification through Christ 
remains in unbelief. For we are *^ justified 
by faith," and '' he that believeth not is cou- 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



i=;i 



demned already." (John iii:i8.) There is no 
middle state between justification by faith, 
and condemnation because of unbelief. Men, 
hearing the gospel and knowing the difference 
between right and wrong, are either believ- 
ers or unbelievers ; and thus are either in a 
state of justification or condemnation. The 
man in unbelief — the condemned man — can- 
not be in a state of justification. But the 
second "all men'* of Rom. v:i8, are in a 
state of justification. Therefore, being in a 
state of justification, they are believers — they 
are the saved ones of Christ. 

8. The justification of Rom. v:i8 is a jus- 
tification of life, and comes through the re- 
deeming work of Christ. Now, wherever 
life is spoken of as coming through the 
redeeming work of Christ, it means salvation. 
The resurrection of life (John v:29), is a res- 
urrection unto everlasting salvation; and jus- 
tification of life, a result of Christ's redeeming 
work, is justification unto everlasting salva- 
tion. Therefore, the second *' all men " of 
Rom. v:i8, possessing justification of life, are 
to be everlastingly saved. 

Rom. v:i9. For as through the one man's 
disobedience the many were made sinners ; 
even so through the obedience of the one 
shall the many be made righteous. 

\ 



^52 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



The Universalist argument from this verse 
is as follows: The ''many" in both clauses 
of the verse includes the entire human race. 
And then the verse asserts that the entire 
human race shall be made righteous; and 
consequently saved. 

Two differing answers are given by evan- 
gelical Christians to this argument. One 
answer is : While the first many includes all 
mankind, yet the number in the second many 
is less than the number in the first many ; 
and consequently, Paul does not assert that 
all mankind shall be made righteous. 

The second answer is — The persons of each 
*' many " are equal in number, including all 
mankind ; but being "made righteous" is 
conditional on faith in Christ, and since some 
do not believe in Christ, they therefore fail 
to be '' made righteous," and saved. 

We believe the following reasons fully 
maintain the correctness of the first answer : 

1. The verse permits the opinion that the 
numbers of the second '* many " may be less 
than the numbers of the first ''many." This 
has been shown in our remarks on Rom. 
v:i8. 

2. Paul's regular flow of thought, and 
method of contrasting opposites will also help 
us here. In v. 19 the persons who were 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



153 



made sinners are the ones over whom sin 
abounded, as mentioned in v. 20. And the 
ones over whom sin abounded, as mentioned 
in V. 20, are the ones over whom sin reigned 
m or unto death, as mentioned in v. 21. Just 
so the persons mentioned in v. 19 as '' made 
righteous " are the persons over whom grace 
much more abounds, as mentioned in v. 20. 
And the persons over whom grace much 
more abounds, as mentioned in v. 20, are the 
same persons over whom grace reigns unto 
eternal life through righteousness. Now the 
persons over whom grace reigns unto eternal 
life through righteousness are saved forever. 
Therefore the persons '' made righteous," 
being the same persons as those over whom 
grace reigns unto eternal life, are saved for- 
ever. 

In V. 19 the first multitude (the many) are 
the condemned; the second multitude (the 
many) are the justified. In v. 20 the first 
multitude are under sin, and the second mul- 
titude are under grace. In v. 21 sin reigns 
over the first multitude unto death; and 
grace reigns over the second multitude unto 
eternal life. In each of these three verses the 
fallen multitude is contrasted with the res- 
cued multitude. The fallen multitude is con- 
nected with the fir§t Adam, a disobedient 



154 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



soul. And the rescued multitude is con- 
nected with the second Adam — the Lord 
from heaven — a Hfe-giving Spirit. Sin and 
death go down from the first Adam to his 
multitude. Life and righteousness go down 
from the second Adam to his multitude. 
Believe in the second Adam as a crucified 
and divine redeemer, and you will be included 
in his multitude. 

3. Paul teaches in Rom. vi:23. that eternal 
life is the gift of God. i\nd John teaches 
that God hath given to us eternal life. (I 
John, v:ii.) Now if God gave to John and 
the Christians to whom he wrote eternal life, 
then he can just as readily bestow eternal 
life upon that '' many *' of whom Paul affirms 
'* they shall be made righteous." And when 
God bestows eternal life upon that ''many " 
there will be no difficulty concerning their 
faith in Christ. After a soul has heard of 
Christ, faith in him is inseparable from the 
eternal life which God bestows. The de- 
mand for faith is met in God's bestowment 
of eternal life. 

The soul on which God has bestowed eter- 
nal life is born of the Spirit. As says the 
apostle, '' which were born, not of blood, nor 
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 
but of God." (John i:i3.) And the Spirit 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



155 



has taken of the, things of Christ and showed 
them unto that soul. And " the fruit of the 
Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gen- 
tleness, goodness, faith,'' 

And when the soul exercises faitli it will 
be justified and made righteous. It is thus 
clearly within the power of Almighty God 
to fulfil the prediction of his inspired servant. 
And all of us should put our trust in God as 
a God of truth. "Hath he spoken and shall 
he not make it good ?" (Num. xxiiiiig). 

4. Paul teaches that God quickened — 
made alive — the Ephesian Christians, when 
they were dead in sins, for his great love 
wherewith he loved them. Now after God 
wrought that gracious work upon them they 
were "saints*' and " faithful in Christ," and 
they chose to believe in Jesus. And since 
Paul says it is to be by the obedience of the 
Christ that this "* many " shall be made right- 
eous; and since Isaiah says, "My righteous 
servant shall justify many ; for he shall bear 
their iniquities" (liiirii,) we, therefore, con- 
clude that the " many " whom Paul says 
shall be made righteous, and the " many " 
whom God's righteous servant shall justify, 
are the same persons ; and that as the pur- 
chase of the blood unto death of his righteous 
Son, God loves them with his great love. 



1^6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Therefore on account of his great love where- 
with he loves them he will quicken them — 
make them alive — even though he finds them 
dead in trespasses and sins. And being made 
alive, unbelief shall be banished, they shall 
hear the good Shepherd's voice, and become 
obedient to his call. They shall believe — be 
justified — made righteous — and saved. 

5. God promised Christ a great reward 
for his obedience unto death. He said, *T 
will divide him a portion with the great, and 
he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 
because he hath poured out his soul unto 
death." (Isa. Iiii:i2.) 

God here virtually says, — Because of 
Christ's obedience unto death I will give to 
him manv rescued and saved souls. 

Paul virtually says, By the obedience of 
Christ unto death many souls shall be justi- 
fied and made righteous. And it is reason- 
able to conclude that the many souls which 
God promised to Christ, are the same ''many" 
whom Paul says shall be justified and made 
righteous by the obedience of the Christ. And 
the eternal " God who quickeneth the dead 
and calleth those things that be not as though 
they were," and with whom all things are 
possible, can and surely will make his prom- 
ise good. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



157 



And Christ himself says, All that the 
Father giveth me shall come to me ; and him 
that Cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 
(Jno. vi:37). Now it is reasonable to con- 
cUide that those given b}^ the Father to 
Christ, and who, as Christ says, shall come 
unto him, are the very ones whom Paul sa3'S 
''shall be made righteous/' And they who 
come to Christ and whom he will not cast 
out, shall be everlastingly saved. Therefore 
it is reasonable to conclude that the man}- 
who "' shall be made righteous " will be ever- 
lastingly saved. 

6. From Paul's statement in Rom. viii:30, 
we infer that those who are once '' made 
righteous " reach the heavenly glory. For 
those ''made righteous " are justified, and, 
" whom he justified them he also glorified." 

7. It is reasonable to conclude that the 
"many" whom Paul says "shall be made 
righteous," are the " many sons " whom God 
is bringing to glory after making the Captain 
of their salvation " perfect through suffer- 
ings." (Heb. ii:io.) And when these " many 
sons" get to glor3% as the}^ doubtless will, 
then the " many " who shall be " made right- 
eous " will also possess the heavenly glory. 

8. Paul says, " By grace ye are saved " 
(Eph. ii:5). If saved by grace, then most cer- 



158 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tainly saved by exceedingly abounding grace. 
Now in reference to whom does Paul say, 
Grace abounds more exceedingly? Plainl}^ 
in reference to the *' many '* whom the pre- 
vious verse says '' shall be made righteous." 
By r)ne man's disobedience the many were 
made sinners, — then sin abounded. By one 
man's obedience many shall be made right- 
eous, — here grace abounds — grace reigns 
unto eternal life through righteousness. In 
and ov^er whom ? Plainly in and over the 
'* many '' who '^shall be made righteous." 
Therefore the '' many" who " shall be made 
righteous," will be everlastingly saved. 

Paul further says, '' The grace of our Lord 
abounded exceedingly" (I Tim. i:i4, R. V.) 
Now very happily we know the spiritual 
condition of the person to whom the Lord's 
grace abounded exceedingl3\ Before the 
grace abounded he was a persecutor, and 
injurious. After the grace abounded he was 
enlightened and believing, and pardoned and 
saved. Here we have a particular instance 
where grace abounding exceedingly wrought 
salvation. Now, since in Paul's case, grace 
abounding exceedingly wrought salvation, 
we are fully entitled to conclude that 
in all cases where grace abounds exceed- 
ingly it will effect salvation. And since 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



159 



grace abounded exceedingly in the case of 
the second '' many " of Rom. v:i8, that is, 
the '' many '' that '* shall be made right- 
eous," we therefore conclude that that 
many will be everlastingly saved. We now 
invite those who affirm that in all cases grace 
may exceedingly abound and yet fail to effect 
salvation, to produce from the Scriptures a 
single instance where grace exceedingly 
abounds toward a person and that person 
remains unbelieving, impenitent, and unsaved. 
Now if ''the many" who ''shall be made 
righteous " and who are to be saved, include 
all mankind without exception, how then can 
we escape the conclusion that Paul in Rom. 
v:i9 teaches Universalism. 

9. Paul asks, " Shall we continue in sin 
that grace may abound ?" (Rom. vi:i). The 
" we " are Christians and pardoned since 
they " died to sin." The question then is, 
Shall we, who are Christians, continue to sin, 
that grace may abound ? Now in this ques 
tion do the words " grace may abound '" 
signify pardon may be offered, or, grace may 
be victorious ? Christians who are dead to 
sin would not put the question — Shall we 
w^ho are Christians continue in sin that par- 
don may be offered ? There would be no 
sense in such a question, for Christians are 



l6o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

already pardoned. But tempted Christians 
might easily put the question — Shall we con- 
tinue in sin that grace ma}^ triumph over our 
sins — may win greater victories? Paul en- 
treats them not to continue in sin, since sin is 
contrar}' to their new nature. They have 
been united to Christ, and just as he was 
raised from the dead to a new life, so the}^ 
should walk in newness of life. Do not sin 
in order that grace may triumph over your 
sins, for sinning is contrary to your new 
spiritual nature. This is sound reasoning. 
But to say to pardoned men. Do not continue 
in sin in order that pardon may be offered, is 
weak, and beneath the intelligence of the 
apostle. The words then, " Grace may 
abound " signify grace may be victorious. 
And so when Paul says. Where sin abounded 
grace did much more abound, he teaches 
that those with whom grace abounds will be 
won by grace, and grace will reign over 
them, and they will be saved. And grace 
certainly abounds with the '' made right- 
eous." And those ''made righteous" will 
certainly be saved. 

I Cor. xv:22, '' For as in the Adam all die, 
so also in the Christ shall all be made alive." 
(We follow the original Greek by inserting 
the definite article before Adam and Christ.) 



OF DIVINE GRACE, i6l 

Here again, just as in Rom. v:i8, there is 
no necessity that the number in the one *' all *' 
equal the number in the other **all." The 
'*all *' made alive may be less in number than 
the '' all " that die. Who are the all that die ? 
The natural posterity of Adam ; and not the 
angels, and not the inhabitants of any other 
world. Why his natural posterity '' all die "? 
Because they were in him. They were in 
him as Levi was in x\braham when the latter 
paid tithes to Melchizedek. As says the 
Scriptures, '' He was yet in the loins of his 
father whem Melchizedek met him,'* (Heb. 
viirio.) And Levi, as says the ^Scriptures, 
*' through Abraham hath paid tithes," and 
shared with his father Abraham the latter's 
inferiority to Melchizedek who received the 
tithes. He was in him, and was in condition 
like him. The natural posterity, then, are in 
the progenitor, aad share the progenitor's 
condition. Putting this idea into the first 
part of the parallel, it says : 

In the Adam were his natural posterit}^ 
and they all share his condition. And Adam's 
condition, through his transgression, is one of 
death. It then says, '' In the Adam were his 
natural posterity, and they all die." But 
Adam was of earth, and Christ was of heaven. 
The first man Adam became a living soul. 
II 



l63 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The last man Adam became a life giving 
spirit. And therefore, to Adam's natural 
posterity corresponds Christ's spiritual seed. 
The spiritual seed share Christ's condition. 
And since through obedience, he has been 
made aliv^e, therefore, they also shall be made 
alive. Putting now the two parts of the par- 
allel together, we have the following: For 
as in the Adam were his natural posterity, 
and they all die, so also in the Christ are his 
spiritual seed, and they all shall be made alive. 

But is it scriptural to speak of Christ's spir- 
itual seed, and of their being in him? 

Yes, for Paul says, *' If any man be in Christ 
he is a new creature;" and, *' I knew a man 
in Christ." Being in Christ that man was a 
new creature, a regenerated man, a spiritual 
son. Abbreviating the sentence somewhat, 
we have : For as in the Adam all his natural 
posterity die, so also in the Christ all his 
spiritual seed shall be made alive. This is 
the meaning of the verse. But there is here 
no information as to the equality of the two 
numbers. And the comparison is, not con- 
cerning the number of the two multitudes, 
but concerning the Adam and the Christ ; 
and concerning the universality of the influ- 
ence of each of them over their respective 
multitudes. As Adam is a fountain of power, 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 163 

SO Christ is a fountain of power. As Adam 
is a fountain of death-bringing power, so 
Christ is a fountain of life-giving power. As 
Adam is a fountain of death to all in him, so 
Christ is a fountain of life to all in him. But 
there is nothing here that moulds into equality 
of number the ''all in Adam," and the ''all 
in Christ." The verse, therefore, furnishes 
no proof of universal salvation. 

Perhaps by the following parallel the idea 
may be brought out still more clearly : 

As in the polar regions all are influenced 
by the cold, so in the equatorial regions all 
are influenced by the heat. 

Who are influenced by the cold? 

Those who are in the polar regions, 
and all those who are in the polar regions. 
Who are influenced by the heat ? Those who 
are in the equatorial regions, and all those 
who are in the equatorial regions. 

Are the two peoples in these two regions 
the very same in person and in number? 
Concerning that, the sentence has iiotJiing to 
say. In like manner, in the sentence, As in 
Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made 
alive ; concerning equality of the two num- 
bers, the sentence has nothing to say. But the 
context and other Scriptures have something 
to say. 



164 'I^HE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The subject on which Paul was throwing 
the light of his inspiration was: What the 
future has in store for them that *' are fallen 
asleep in Christ*? Though asleep — though 
deceased — they were believers ; they were 
and are in Christ ; being in him, and he has 
been made alive, they shall share his condi- 
tion — they shall experience his life-giving 
power — they all shall be made alive. Yea, 
all who are in him shall be made alive. 
Through their faith they were proved to be 
in Christ ; and being in him, they are within 
the reach of his life-giving power. But else- 
where the Scriptures tell us that ''all men 
have not faith." And Christ tells us: Who- 
soever shall deny me before men, him will I 
also deny before my Father which is heaven. 

But if Paul in the last '' all " of the com- 
parison had no reference to ''all of human 
kind," why did he not say " some " instead 
of " all ?" Had he there said " some " instead 
of " all," he would have failed to affirm the 
truth that all who are in Christ shall be made 
alive. He would have permitted the thought 
that some who are in Christ may remain for- 
ever under the power of death. 

As follows : As in the Adam all his natural 
posterity die, so also in the Christ shall some 
of his spiritual seed be made alive. What 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 165 

then, becomes of the rest of Christ's spiritual 
seed? For all that Paul would then in the 
passage say to the contrary, they might re- 
main forever under the power of death. 
That is just what he was opposing with all 
the power of his inspiration. And he must 
sav *' all " in order to affirm that Christ's life- 
giving power reaches every one of his seed. 
Alive or dead, all believers are the Lord's; 
and shall be made alive— the living, at Christ's 
coming, by the blessed transformation — the 
dead, at Christ's coming, by the blessed resur- 
rection. '' It is enough for the disciple that 
he be as his master, and the servant as his 
lord." 

Taking a hint from Paul, it may be proper 
to compare the Adam and the Christ to two 
olive trees. The Adam a wild olive tree ; 
the Christ a good olive tree. Each of these 
trees bears fruit after its kind. The wild olive 
bears wild fruit ; the good olive bears good 
fruit. And then we have the following 
comparison : 

As in the wild olive tree, all fruit is wild in 
kind; so in the good olive tree, all fruit is 
good in kind. In this comparison the *' all 
fruit " first mentioned is all the fruit growing 
on the wild olive tree ; and only all the fruit 
growing on that tree* And the '' all fruit '' 



1 66 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

next mentioned is all the fruit growing on the 
good olive tree ; and only all the Iruit grow- 
ing on that good tree. And in like manner 
in the comparison of I Cor. xv:22, the *'air' 
first mentioned is all mankind springing 
by nature from Adam, and only that all. 
And the '* all " next mentioned is all mankind 
springing by grace from Christ, and only that 
all. The one '*aU" is natural born mankind. 
The other ** air' is spiritual born mankind. 
And therefore we are not justified in conclud- 
ing that these two multitudes are equal in 
number until we can prove from some other 
Scripture that all mankind, without excep- 
tion, are or will be spirit born. 

We mention but one more parallel state- 
ment, as follows : 

As in air all men receive good ; so in liquor 
all men shall receive harm. In construction, 
this sentence is a parallel to I Cor. xv:22. 
And if this sentence does not assert that all 
men shall receive harm through liquor, then 
I Cor. xv:22 does not assert that all men shall 
be made alive through Christ. What this 
sentence does assert is — not that all men shall 
be in liquor (intoxicated) and thus receive 
harm — but that all men in liquor (intoxicated) 
shall receive harm. These two things are 
very different. The one is an affirmation that 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 167 

all men shall be intoxicated and receive harm. 
The other is an affirmation that all men who 
become intoxicated shall receive harm. A 
difference numerically of millions. Before 
receiving the harm a condition is implied, 
that of being in liquor. If they be in liquor, 
all men shall receive harm. And it is not 
implied that all men are in this condition. 
Now since this condition is implied in the 
case of harm, let us insert it in the sentence, 
as follows: As in air all men receive good, 
so if they be in liquor, all men shall receive 
harm. This means, in other words, as in air 
all men receive good, so all men who are in 
liquor shall receive harm. 

This, the true meaning of the clause, does 
not assert that all men shall be in liquor, and 
thus receive harm. But **all who are in 
liquor," without saying how many they are, 
shall receive harm. 

A condition is also implied in the first 
clause of the sentence. When it says — As in 
air all men receive good, it is implied that 
the men w^ho receive the good, are in the air 
— breathing it. 

But it is not asserted that all men are in 
air — breathing it, and receiving the good. 
Some men may be deprived of it by steam, 
or gas, or drowning, or hanging. 



1 68 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The clause then really asserts that all men 
who are in air, receive good. 

Putting together, then, what the two 
clauses really mean, we have the following : 

As all men who are in air, receive good, so 
all men who are in liquor, shall receive harm. 

This is the true meaning of the sentence — 
As in air all men receive good, so in liquor 
all men shall receive harm. 

And just so by parity of reasoning, the 
true meaning of the sentence, ''As in Adam 
all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive," 
is — As all who arc in Adam die, so, all who 
are in Christ, shall be made alive. 

2. Another proof that I Cor. xv:22 affirms 
the living again of only the dead in Christ, is 
found in the word employed to indicate the 
character of that resurrection. When the 
good who sleep in the grave, experience the 
resurrection, it is the resurrection of zoe — 
life. When they that have done evil, expe- 
rience their resurrection, it is the resurrection 
of krisis — condemnation. As Christ teaches 
in John v:28,29, where he says: ''The hour 
is coming in the vvhich all that are in the 
graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come 
forth ; they that have done good, unto the 
resurrection of life (zoe), and they that have 
done evil, untQ the resurrgctign of ^lamnatign 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 169 

(krisis). Now, the word translated ''made 
alive" — zoopoieo — has zoe to indicate its 
character ; not krisis ; and thus indicates that 
it is the blessed resurrection. 

3. Again, Christ says (John x:io) : "I am 
come that they might have life — zoe/' Now, 
this life is the blessing which Christ bestows 
upon the believing and obedient. It is there- 
fore manifestly improper to ascribe this life 
(zoe) to the wicked in their resurrection. 
And thus the resurrection of 1 Cor. xv:22, 
having zoe, Christ's blessing, in it, does not 
include the impenitent dead. 

4. In John iii:36 the Lord teaches that 
they who do not believe in him, shall not see 
zoe — life. Now, to affirm that those who shall 
be made alive — shall be granted life — spoken 
of in I Cor. xv:22, include the dead rejecters 
of Christ, is to affirm (however ignorantly) 
directly the opposite of the teaching of the 
Lord. It is to say that they who die in un- 
belief and sin, shall see zoe — life. For zoe — 
life — marks the character of the resurrection 
of I Cor. xv:22. 

5. The usage, in other parts of the New 
Testament, of the word translated ''made 
alive,'' confirms the belief that it is used in 
I Cor. xv:22 only of those who are united to 
Christ. The word is zoopoieo, and mQans to 



170 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



make alive, to grant life to, to quicken. It 
occurs in Gal. iii:2i : *4s the law then against 
the promises of God ? God forbid ; for if 
there had been a law given which could have 
given life (zoopoieo), verily righteousness 
should have been bv the law/' Here the 
word indicates a life promised of God — holy, 
happy, eternal — belonging only to the people 
of God. It occurs in Rom. ivii/: *' He 
(Abraham) believed God, who quickeneth 
(zoopoieo) the dead.*' In obedience to God's 
command Abraham was about to slay Isaac, 
his son, believing that God would raise him 
from the dead. What kind of a resurrection 
did Abraham trust in God that Isaac would 
have? Plainly a happy one, since he was an 
obedient child of a believing father — a true 
member of the Church of God. Here the 
word zoopoieo, to quicken, make alive, 
doubtless indicates a happy resurrection. 

It occurs in II Cor. iii:6: ''Who also made 
us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant ; 
not of the letter, but of the spirit ; for the 
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (zoo- 
poieo). (Rev. Ver.) 

Here it indicates the life, that is, the salva- 
tion which the spirit of the new covenant 
gives. 

It occurs in I Pet. iii: 1 8 : ^'Christ ^ ^ ^ being 
put to death in the flpsh, but quickened (zgop- 



OF DIVINE GRACE. lyi 

oieo) by the Spirit." Here the word indicates 
the glorious resurrection of the Christ. Now, 
surely Paul would not take a word that indi- 
cates the glorious resurrection of the Christ, 
that indicates the salvation which the spirit 
of the new covenant gives, that indicates the 
happy resurrection of a son wonderful in 
obedience and faith, that indicates a life that 
no law given could procure, and apply that 
word of glory to the resurrection of the un- 
righteous dead — the resurrection of the ene- 
mies of God. 

It occurs in Rom. viii:ii: *'But if the 
spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the 
dead, dwell in you, he that raised up Christ 
from the dead, shall also quicken (zoopoieo) 
your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth 
in you.*' 

Here the word indicates the happy resur- 
rection of the bodies of believers. . And that 
happy resurrection is conditioned on the pre- 
vious indwelling of the Spirit of God. 
Hence it is manifestly improper, without 
producing a *'Thus saith the Lord," to assert 
that this same word indicates the resurrec- 
tion of the bodies of the unrighteous dead. 
To do so, is to obliterate the distinction be- 
tween the destinies of the righteous and the 
wicked. Hence Paul includes in the "shall 



172 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



all be made alive" (zoopoieo) of I Cor. xv:22, 
only them that have believed in Jesus. 

It occurs in I Cor. xv:45 : *'The first man 
Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam 
became a life-giving (zoopoieo) spirit." (Rev. 
Ver.) Here it indicates the life which Christ 
as a Saviour, bestows upon his people. 

And indicating thus the full salvation of 
the Christian, it does not seem possible that 
it indicates a life to be bestowed upon the 
wicked dead. But if it does, then how can 
we escape the conclusion that Paul teaches 
Universalism ? 

6. Another argument that zoopoieo indi- 
cates the bodily resurrection of only the 
righteous, is based on its meaning when 
united to the Greek preposition syn — with 
formmg the word sy zoopoieo, which means, 
to make alive with. It occurs in Eph. ii:5 ; 
**God who is rich in mercy, for his great love 
wherewith he loved us, even when we were 
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with 
Christ." Here it signifies regeneration — the 
new birth — the resulting act of God's great 
love — the greatest act of blessing which God 
works for a human soul during its earthly 
journey. And probably the greatest blessing 
bestowed upon it for all eternity ; since it 
starts the soul upon a course of everlasting 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



173 



goodness and joy. As says John the Apostle 
(Epis. I iiiig): ^'Whosoever is born of God 
doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth 
in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born 
of God/* God be thanked for that zvhosoever. 
It occurs in Col. ii:i3: "And you, being dead 
in your sins and the uncircumcision of your 
flesh, hath he (God) quickened — made alive — 
together with him (Christ), having forgiven 
you all trespasses." Here also it signifies the 
new birth — a spiritual making-alive — bring- 
ing the soul into harmony and union with a 
holy and resurrected Christ. Now, the mean- 
ing of zoopoieo by being joined to syn — with, 
is not changed any further than this that the 
blessing is experienced together with — in 
company with — some one else. Here, in. 
these two instances, with Christ. Now, can 
we think that Paul, unless he was a Univer- 
salist, w^ould take a word that indicates the 
greatest blessing that God works out for a 
human soul, and use that word to indicate 
an act wrought upon the bodies of the im- 
penitent and wicked dead ? And now, to off- 
set all these powerful arguments not one 
specific instance can be mentioned where 
zoopoieo is used to indicate the bodily resur- 
rection of a person who died in unbelief and 
sin. We, therefore, conclude that the second 



174 ^^^ SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

'*air* of I Con xv:22, includes only those who 
are united to Christ by the work of the Holy 
Ghost. 

7. The resurrection of the latter part of 
the chapter is admitted by all believers to be 
a resurrection of blessed life. Now, the res- 
urrection foretold in the 22d verse, is the 
same as is described in the latter part of the 
chapter. This is made plain by the fact that 
the happy resurrection in the latter part of 
the chapter is the harvest of which Christ is 
the first fruits. And the harvest and the first 
fruits are of the same nature. Since Paul 
says in Rom. xi:i6: 'Tf the first fruit be holy, 
the lump is also holy." Now, Christ is men- 
tioned as the first fruits of them that slept, in 
the 20th verse ; and after Christ has so been 
mentioned, all affirmations concerning the 
resurrection must be considered as belonging 
to Christ's people, unless special mention is 
made of the wicked. Paul makes no such 
special mention. Therefore the affirmation 
in verse 22 of — shall be made alive — shall be 
granted life — must be considered as belong- 
ing to Christ's people ; and as affirming a 
happy resurrection. It is the happy resur- 
rection harvest, following the resurrection of 
Christ— the first fruits. The fuller descrip- 
tion in the latter part of the chapter is only 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 175 

the unfolding of the characteristics of the 
glorious life foretold in the 22d verse. 

8. We have seen by the testimony of the 
Scriptures that the second '* all '' of I Cor. 
yiv\22^ that is, the all who are in Christ, are to 
be everlastingly saved. Now if that second 
all includes all mankind, then we see no es- 
cape from the conclusion that Paul teaches 
that all mankind will be forever saved — that 
is, that Universalism is true. 

But all evangelicals (rightly according to 
the Scriptures) deny that Universalism is 
true. We therefore conclude that the second 
*'air' — the all who are in Christ — does not 
include all mankind without exception. Who 
then are the *' all " who are in Christ? They 
are the reward which God gives the Christ 
for his willing yet painful obedience unto 
death. 

Christ says, '' Lo, I come (in the volume of 
the book it is written of me) to do thy will, 
O God." (Heb. x:;.) God says, ^^ I will 
divide him a portion with the great, and he 
shall divide the spoil with the strong, because 
he hath poured out his soul unto death." 
(Isa. Iiii:i2) 

Is there a man in all the church of God who 
would wish that reward uncertain? Is there 
a man in all the church of God who wishes 



1^6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

the Almighty to refrain from putting forth 
his mighty power, and thus to allow Christ, 
through human perversity, to fail of his well- 
earned reward ? God forbid. We have seen 
that God promised Christ a reward. Now 
will not God make his promise good ? Shall 
Christ perform the work and earn the wages, 
and God refuse the payment? 

Christ has performed the condition ; shall 
God refuse to grant what the performance of 
the condition calls for? Nay, verily, for this 
w^ould be to break Christ^s heart a second 
time. A second time to make him cry. My 
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Christ's reward is the everlasting salvation of 
the transgressors for whom he intercedes. 
(Isa. Iiii:i2; John xi:42.) To refuse him this, 
IS to act worse than any honest employer of 
the lowHest day laborer. Moral obligation — 
common honesty, demands that he should 
have his reward. But, does some one say. 
The reward is beyond God's power to be- 
stow ; since God cannot enter the human will, 
and cannot to a certainty lead human souls 
to believe in, and love and serve the Lord 
Jesus. He can entreat; He cannot control.' 
Remember, objector, that God has promised 
to control. 

'* He shall see of the travail of his soul, and 
shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge shall my 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



177 



righteous servant justify many ; for he shall 
bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide 
him a portion with the great, and he shall 
divide the spoil with the strong." (Isa. liii: 
II, 12.) 

Here God promises that Christ's .sufferings 
shall have a satisfactory result — that Christ 
shall secure the justification of many souls. 
To satisfy Christ — an eternal king — this must 
be a justification of life, an eternal salvation. 
These many justified and saved souls are the 
portion and reward which God has promised 
Christ. Now where is the truthfulness of the 
God of truth if God cannot make his promise 
good ? God's knowledge takes in all events, 
and when he promised he knew whether or 
not he could fulfil that promise. He is a God 
of truth, and he will make it good. The all 
who are in Christ, then, and who shall be 
made alive, are the all whom God has given 
to Christ to be saved. Paul speaks of them 
as '' chosen unto salvation through sanctifi- 
cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth." 
(11 Thess. ii:i3.) 

Paul speaks of them as God's elect, saying, 
*' Who shall lay^ anything to the charge of 
God's elect ? It is God that justifieth. Who 
is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that 
died.'' (Rom. viii:33, 34.) Christ speaks of 
12 



lyS THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

them as his sheep, saying, '' My sheep hear 
my voice, and I know them, and they follow 
me. And I give unto them eternal life; and 
they shall never perish, neither shall any man 
pluck them out of m}^ hand. My Father 
which gave them me is greater than all ; and 
no man is able to pluck them out of my 
Father's hand." (John x:27-29.) Now, be- 
fore God gave them to Christ, he purposed 
to give them. And when he purposed to 
give them he elected them. The all who are 
in Christ, then, are the elect of God. These 
are the elect who, as Christ teaches, cannot 
be deceived. (Mark xiii:22.) They are 
'* called and chosen and faithful." (Rev. 
xvii:i4.) The doctrine of a divine election, 
then, is true. And Paul seems to have flying 
at the peak of his theological tent a flag, bear- 
ing emblems of a divine election, and a divine 
and saving power. He seems to regard di- 
vine election as a prelude to divine mercy. 
With him divine election is a fountain of 
mercy and everlasting salvation. How wide- 
reaching the streams of this fountain, prob- 
ably no one knows but God and Jesus. But 
they reach, and will reach so widely among 
needy humanity, that Jesus is satisfied. And 
in this matter, with what satisfies Christ his 
people should be satisfied. In this matter 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



179 



Paul sat at the feet of God and Jesus as a little 
child. He is an example for us. And every 
believer shall be ultimately satisfied. ''There 
is a river the streams whereof shall make 
glad the city of God." (Ps. xlvi:4.) 

Is not that river the happy purpose of our 
God to have mercy and to save ? And doubt- 
less, as a result of this good purpose divine 
joy flowed through all the being of God. 
His ''delights were with the sons of men." 
(Prov. viii:3i.) That purpose gave us Jesus; 
that purpose gave us pardon ; that purpose 
gave us a regenerated nature ; that purpose 
will give us heaven ; that purpose will give 
every believer in Christ an everlasting salva- 
tion. That purpose made Jesus the Head of a 
multitudinous race redeemed forever. God 
has made with his beloved Son "an everlast- 
ing covenant, ordered in all things, and sure." 
(II Sam. xxiii:5.) How then, can any one 
say, notwithstanding the perfect righteous- 
ness and reconciling death of Jesus ; notwith- 
standing his resurrection and intercession, all 
human souls may everlastingly reject him. In 
times of old, when God's people were in 
Eg3^ptian bondage, and the lamb of the pass- 
over was killed, the blood of the lamb was 
surely sprinkled, and where the blood was 
sprinkled, there was sure deliverance — the 



i8o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

angel of death, under orders, to a certainty, 
not calling at that house. (Ex. xii:2i-23, 28.) 
Just so when Christ ''the Lamb slain from the 
foundation of the world," is put to death, his 
blood is surely sprinkled. And where his 
blood is sprinkled, there is — not merely 
offered, but — sure deliverance. The angel of 
death, under orders, to a certainty, does not 
smite the blood-sprinkled soul. Christ, our 
passover, has been sacrificed for us (I Cor. 
v:7), and his blood has been sprinkled on 
human souls. And when Christ, our zoe — 
our life — shall appear, then shall those 
blood-sprinkled souls appear with him in 
glory. (Col. iii:4.) The interpretation is ac- 
curate, and the salvation is sure. And Christ 
says: ''Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
herit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world." And when those 
happ3^ words are spoken, those given by the 
Father to Christ, have come to Christ. And 
he has not cast them out, and their salvation 
is sure. And of all those given by the 
Father, not one has been left behind. Not 
one good word has failed of all that the 
Father promised. Just as all the Israelites 
left Egyptian bondage, even so all blood- 
sprinkled souls leave the bondage of sin and 
Satan. The many for whom Christ specially 



OF DIVINE GRACE, i8l 

shed his blood (Matt. xxvi:28), have all been 
''made righteous." And ''the redeemed of 
the Lord have come to Zion with songs and 
everlasting joy upon their heads." 

1 Cor. y.M\26\ "The last enemy that shall be 
abolished, is death." 

1. The death spoken of, is physical. The 
context, preceding and following, shows this 
very clearly. The question, How are the 
dead raised up? and With what manner of 
body do they come ? surely referred to the 
physically dead. 

"But now Christ hath been raised from the 
dead» the first fruits of them that are asleep. 
For since by man came death, by man came 
also the resurrection of the dead." Surely, 
the death from which Christ arose, was not 
spiritual, but physical death. And con- 
sequently it is physical death of which the 
apostle speaks. This physical death shall be 
abolished when the resurrection of the physi- 
cally dead takes place. 

2. It is the resurrection of them that sleep 
in Christ, that is spoken of. And while, of 
course, a happy resurrection, it does not in- 
clude the enemies of Christ. The Christian 
dead — they that died in the Lord— may ex- 
perience a happy bodily resurrection, even 
while the wicked dead — those who died in 



1 82 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

impenitence — remain under the power of sin 
and condemnation. 

3. Bodily death is the last enemy of the 
Christian dead, but not the last enemy of 
them that die in unbelief and sin. Since 
Christ says : ''They that have done good, 
shall come forth unto the resurrection of life ; 
and they that have done ill, unto the resur- 
rection of judgment." (John v:29. Rev.Ver.) 

After the bodily death is abolished, there 
is no harm for the Christian ; but after the 
bodily death is abolished there is condem- 
natory judgment — penalty — for the wicked. 
Therefore Paul is addressing Christians only, 
since he is addressing those whose last enemy 
is bodily death. And before I Cor. xv:26 can 
be fairly claimed as teaching universal salva- 
tion, it must be shown that all mankind be- 
come, in this life, Christians. 

Eph. 1:9,10: ''Having made known unto 
us the mystery of his will, according to his 
good pleasure which he has purposed in him- 
self ; that in the dispensation of the fulness of 
times he might gather together in one all 
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, 
and which are on earth, even in him." 

The apostle does not here assert that all 
things, whether in heaven, or in earth, shall 
be gathered together into Christ. Such an 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 183 

understanding of his language is opposed by 
its grammatical construction. 

1. In the original, ''all" is preceded by the 
definite article, which makes it certain that a 
definite ''all" is meant. 

2. Had Paul meant to assert the gather- 
ing together of "all things" into Christ, the 
word Christ in the original would be in the 
accusative case, according to the general rule 
that an adjunct expressing direct limit, or 
termination, is put in the accusative ; whereas 
now the word is in the dative case, accord- 
ing to the general rule that the place at which 
is put in the dative. 

Paul says, "Gather together in one, ta 
panta en to Christo^ the all in Christ ;" not ta 
panta eis ton Christon, the all into Christ, and 
between these different statements the dis- 
tinction is clear and broad. Notice that the 
distinction here referred to is clearly made in 
the following passages of Scripture. 

Markv:i3: "And the herd ran violently 
down a steep place into the sea (the accusa- 
tive), and were choked in the sea" (the dative). 
Luke x:5,7 : "And into whatsoever house 
(the accusative) ye enter, first say, Peace be 
to this house." "And in the same house (the 
dative) remain." 

Luke xii:28 : ^*The grass which to-day is 



184 ^^^ SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

in the field (the dative), and to-morrow is cast 
into the oven" (the accusative). 

Luke xv:i5,25: ''And he sent him into his 
fields (the accusative) to feed swine. Now 
his older son was in the field" (the dative). 

Acts xvi:6,9: ^'Forbidden of the Holy 
Ghost to preach the word in Asia." (The 
dative.) "Come over into Macedonia (the 
accusative), and help us." 

Acts xvi:32, 34: ''They spake unto him the 
word of the Lord, and to all that were in his 
house" (the dative). "And when he had 
brought them into his house" (the accusative). 

Acts xviiiio, 17: "Paul and Silas went into 
the synagogue (the accusative) of the Jews." 
"Therefore disputed he in the synagogue (the 
dative) with the Jews." 

Acts xviii:i9, 26: "He entered into the 
synagogue (the accusative), and reasoned 
with the Jews." "He began to speak boldly 
in the synagogue" (the dative). 

From these passages it is plainly to be seen 
that the name of an object in which some- 
thing is considered as being, is in the original 
Greek put in the dative case ; and also that 
the name of an object into which something is 
considered as entermg, is put in the accusative 
case. This is the rule, and the few excep- 
tions which may occur, have no power to 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 185 

overthrow the rule. And since there is noth- 
ing in the context to forbid the application of 
the rule in this instance, the rule in this in- 
stance must be applied. And therefore the 
apostle is speaking not of those who are to be 
brought into Christ, but of those who are in 
Christ. His meaning is '' that he might 
gather together in one all things which are in 
Christ." The passage, therefore, furnishes 
no proof of universal salvation, unless it can 
be proved from other Scripture that all men 
without exception are, in the apostle's mean- 
ing, in Christ. But this cannot be done, since 
the same apostle says: ''If any man be in 
Christ, he is a new creature;'' and of neces- 
sity, if he is not a new creature, he is not, in 
the sense spoken of, in Christ. 

Col. i:ig, 20: ''For it pleased the Father 
that in him should all fulness dwell. And 
having made peace through the blood of his 
cross by him, to reconcile all things unto 
himself; by him, I say, whether they be 
things in earth, or things in heaven." 

Who are included in the "all things" here 
spoken of ? 

I. Those who are included in this "all 
things," are to be reconciled to God. And, 
therefore, t'lose moral beings who have never 
sinned, cannot be included ; since reconcilia- 



1 86 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tion necessarily implies previousestrangement. 
But since in the ''all things" of the i6th and 
17th verses sinless moral beings are included, 
therefore the "all things" of our passage has 
a different meaning from the ''all things'' of 
those verses. 

2. Since this reconciliation is a result of 
the peace made ''through the blood of his 
cross," and is effected by Christ, therefore 
the "all" reconciled must be the Church of 
Christ — the body of which Christ is the head. 

3. Since the "all" here spoken of, is the 
church of Christ, and the "all" spoken of in 
Eph. i:io is also the Church of Christ, there- 
fore the "all" here in Colossians must be co- 
extensive with the "all" in Eph. i:io. But 
since in Eph. i:io the "all" means the "all who 
are in Christ," therefore the "all" here does 
also mean the "all who are in Christ." And 
since it is impossible to prove that those who 
live and die rejecting Christ, are, in the sense 
of the apostle, in Christ, the passage affords 
no proof of universal salvation. 

I Tim. 11:4: "God our Saviour, who will 
have all men to be saved, and to come to the 
knowledge of the truth." 

The question here arises as to the meaning 
of the word translated "will." In the orig- 
inal it is thelo. The claim has been made 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 187 

that this word is never applied to God in 
the Bible except to represent his Will of 
Purpose and Determination. Could this 
claim be made good, it would be a powerful 
argument for universal salvation. But the 
meaning of the word as used in the following 
passages of Scripture, shows that this claim 
has no good basis to rest on. 

1. Matt. ix:r3. Here the common version 
reads: '^I will have (thelo) mercy and not 
sacrifice." But the Revised Version trans- 
lates '^I desire {thelo) mercy, and not sacrifice." 

2. The same thing is true of the passage 
Matt. xii:;. 

And in reference to accuracy of translation 
the Revised Version is superior to the com- 
mon version. 

Also, in these two passages (Matt. ix:i3 and 
xii:7) L. A. Sawyer's translation of the New 
Testament renders tkelo by '^wish," as follows: 

"Go and learn what this means, I 'wish' 
(thelo) for mercy, and not a sacrifice." 

The sentence: "I will have {thelo) merc}^ 
and not sacrifice,'' as used in Matt. ix:i3 and 
xii:7, is a quotation from Hos. vi:6, where it 
reads, in the common version: 'T desired 
mercy, and not sacrifice." And in the Re- 
vised Version: 'T desire mercy, and not 
sacrifice." That is to say, the Greek word 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



thelo in Matt. ix:i3 and xii:/, is a transla- 
tion of a Hebrew word (Hos. vi:6), which 
means desire. So not only the common and 
revised versions, but the Hebrew Lexicon of 
Gesenius define the Hebrew word. The 
same Hebrew word occurs in Job xxxiii:32, 
where Gesenius and the common and revised 
versions all translate, '^I desire to justify 
thee." And thus it appears that the inspired 
Matthew uses tlielo as the equivalent of a 
Hebrew word which means to desire. There- 
fore we conclude that, whether used in refer- 
ence to man or God, one of the meanings of 
thelo is, to desire. 

Further in reference to thelo as occurring 
in Matt. ix:i3 and xii:/, we think it far better 
to translate it by '' desire " or '* wish " rather 
than '' purpose," because the facts m the case 
— the statements of the chapter from which 
the quotation is made clearly show that God's 
wish or purpose, whichever it was, was not 
accomplished. God complains that his wish 
was not carried out. He says, ^* I desire 
mercy (or kindness) and not sacrifice ; and 
the knowledge of God more than burnt offer- 
ings. But they, like Adam, have transgressed 
*the covenant : there have they dealt treacher- 
ously against me. Gilead is a city of them 
that work iniquity, it is stained with blood." 
Hosea vi:6.8, R. V. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 189 

There were great crimes among priests and 
people. 

This was certainly contrary to God's wish. 

He wished them, as he wishes all men, to 
come to the knowledge of the truth and be 
saved. 

But concerning God's actual ''purpose and 
determination." 

" He sits on no precarious throne, 
Nor borrows leave to be." 

I Tim. iv:io. "God is the Saviour of all 
men, especiall}^ of those that believe." 

This passage teaches that there are differ- 
ent senses in which God is the Saviour of men. 
In one sense he is the Saviour of believers ; in 
another sense He is the Saviour of all men. 
But in what sense He is the Saviour either of 
the one class or of the other the passage does 
not affirm. And so long as the passage fails 
to affirm that He is the Saviour of all men in 
the sense of saving them everlastingl}^ from 
perdition in the future life ; just so long it will 
fail as a proof text of universal salvation. 

God may properly be called the Saviour of 
all men because of the bestowment of earthly 
blessings. '' He maketh his sun to rise on the 
evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the 
just and the unjust." He feeds, he clothes, 



190 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



he sustains all men. It was to a heathen 
audience that Paul said, '' In him we live and 
move and have our being." And certainly if 
all men live, move, and have their being in 
God or b}' means of God, it may very prop- 
erly be said because of these temporal bless- 
ings, that he is the Saviour of all men. Be- 
cause Christ gives and sustains the spiritual 
and eternal life He is properly called the 
spiritual and eternal Saviour, so because God 
gives and sustains the temporal life he is 
properly called the temporal Saviour. When 
Moses exclaimed, ''Happy art thou, O Israel: 
who is like unto thee, O people saved by the 
Lord," Universalists admit that he referred, 
not to an eternal, but to a temporal salvation. 
Then God was their Saviour because he gave 
them temporal blessings, and in like manner 
he is the Saviour of all men because he gives 
all men temporal blessings. But his being 
the Saviour of all men in this sense is certainly 
no proof that all men in the next life will attain 
unto holiness and happiness. 

2. God may also be appropriately termed 
the Saviour of all men because he offers to 
save, and is ready to save, spiritually and 
eternally, all men who in the appointed 
method seek his aid. ' 

Between two villages lying on the opposite 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



191 



banks of a river a ferry is established. This 
ferry offers and is ready to carry across the 
river all inhabitants of these villages who pay 
the passage money. All who pay receive 
transport, whatever their color, character, or 
possessions. The fare is low and for the ex- 
tremely poor there is even provided a fund 
from which they may draw the amount of 
their fare. Consequently no single inhabitant 
who applies is refused. Now should a 
stranger ask of an inhabitant the following 
question, '* Is this ferry the ferry of the in- 
habitants of the two villages?" what would 
he mean by that question? Would he mean 
necessarily to ask whether all the inhabitants 
without exception had actually crossed or 
would actually cross the river by the ferry ? 
Not at all ; and probably no man w^ould so 
understand the question. The question might 
mean whether the ferry is the property of all 
the inhabitants. It might mean whether it 
was the only ferry of the two villages : it 
might mean whether all, without exception, 
who desire, are allowed to cross by the ferry. 
And should the inhabitant reply, '*Yes, it is 
the ferry of all the inhabitants ; for all who 
apply, irrespective of color, character or pos- 
sessions, are ferried across the river," surely 
no reasonable man would consider hirn as 



192 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



making an improper reply. And in like man- 
ner because God saves all men who sincerely 
seek salvation, He is appropriately called 
the Saviour of all men. 

But should the inhabitant reply, ''Yes, it is 
the ferry of all the inhabitants ; especially of 
all who apply for crossing " by what perver- 
sity of reasoning could it be affirmed that he 
asserts the actual crossing of all the inhabit- 
ants without exception. Nor does this reply 
assert the actual application of all the inhab- 
itants for crossing. It simply asserts that in 
one sense it is the ferry of all the inhabitants, 
in another sense the ferry of those who apply 
for ferriage. Those who apply are ferried 
over, those who do not apply are not. In 
like manner the same thing may be true of 
Paul's parallel, ''God is the Saviour of all 
men, especially of those that believe." In 
one sense the Saviour of all ; in another sense 
the Saviour of believers. But believers are 
saved eternally, unbelievers are not. The 
following passages show that the special sal- 
vation of believers is not restricted to this 
present life, but is everlasting. " He that 
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." 
(Jno. iii:36). " Labor not for the meat that 
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth 
unto everlasting life." (Jno. vi:27). " Whoso 



OF DIVIJVE GRACE. 193 

eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath 
eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last 
day." (Jno. vi:S4). 

Heb. ii:i4, 15. "For as much then as the 
children are partakers of flesh and blood He 
also himself likewise took part of the same, 
that through death He might destroy him that 
hath the power of death, that is, the devil ; 
and deliver them who through fear of death 
were all their lifetime subject to bondage." 

That Christ delivers^them who through fear 
of death were all their lifetime subject to 
bondage is a blessed fact, yet not therefore a 
proof of universal salvation. When the dis- 
tinguished missionary, Livingstone, left Brit- 
ain for Africa to preach Christ to them who 
were black and ignorant and degraded, his 
expected hearers did not include all in the 
world who were black and ignorant and de- 
graded. They did not include such inhabit- 
ants of Cuba, nor of North, nor of South 
America. The Confederate armies killed on 
the fields of battle, them who were heroic 
defenders of the Union, yet no one imagines 
that they killed all who were heroic defend- 
ers of the Union ; not Grant, not Sheridan, 
nor their million of brave followers. The 
fisherman casts his line or sets his nets in 
the river to catch them which swim therein ; 

13 



194 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



yet not all without exception, for he expects 
multitudes to remain uncaught. 

In like manner it may be true that while 
Christ does deliver '' them who through fear 
of death were all their lifetime subject to 
bondage,'* yet he does not deliver all men 
without exception who are so subject to 
bondage. 

2. It w^as on account of ^' the children *' 
that Christ took part of flesh and blood, and 
it is doubtless true that '* the children '' with- 
out exception will experience an actual deliv- 
erance. Do "the children" include the 
entire race of Adam ? The children are those 
mentioned in the 13th verse, which is itself a 
quotation from Isa. viii:i8, where they are 
not the entire race of Israel, but simply the 
children of Isaiah, united with him accord- 
ing to God's direction, for prophetical 
purposes. And the quotation is probably 
used by the apostle to indicate that as the 
children which God had given to Isaiah 
were united with him for prophesy, so the 
children which God gave to Christ were 
united with Him for salvation. The children 
of Isaiah were actual proofs of his prophetic 
power. So the spiritual children of Christ 
are actual proofs of His saving power. Now 
the Scriptures nowhere teach that God has 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



95 



given all men universally to Christ as '^chil- 
dren/' They teach the contrary. For *'the 
stone which the builders disallowed, the samfe 
is made the head of the corner, and a stone 
of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to 
them which stumble at the word, being dis- 
obedient ; whereunto also they were ap- 
pointed." (I Peter ii:7, 8). The children are 
characterized by similarity of disposition, — 
by obedience to God. " If any man have not 
the spirit of Christ he is none of his." (Rom. 
viiiig). "They that are Christ's have crucified 
the flesh, with the affections and lusts." (Gal. 
v-24). '' Whosoever shall do the will of God, 
the same is my brother, and my sister and 
mother." (Mark iii:35). Besides, the verse im- 
mediately following our passage (Heb. ii:i6) 
makes it clear that ''the children" are the ''seed 
of Abraham." That verse more correctlv tran- 
slated reads, ''For verily he assists not the 
angels, but he assists the seed of Abraham." 
"To Abraham and his seed were the promiises 
made." (Gal. iii:i6.) And those whom he de- 
livers, are certainly no greater in number than 
those whom he assists. Now, though the 
apostle does teach that Christ assists the seed 
of Abraham, he does not teach that Christ 
assists those who are not the seed of Abraham. 
And therefore he does not teach thatChrist de- 



196 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

livers any who are not the seed of Abraham. 
Now, by no possibility can the seed of Abra- 
ham include the whole human race, unless 
the phrase signifies his spiritual seed. But 
as signifying the spiritual seed it can include 
none but those who are Christ's. ''And if ye 
be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed." 
And those who are Christ's, the apostle 
teaches, have his spirit, and ''have crucified 
the flesh with the affections and lusts." 
They are believers. "That he (Abraham) 
might be the father of all them that believe." 
(Rom. iv:ii.) "They which be of faith, are 
blessed with faithful Abraham." The unbe- 
lieving and unholy are impartially excluded ; 
for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, 
he is none of his." "He that believeth not 
the Son, shall not see life ; but the wrath of 
God abideth on him." (John iii:36.) Now, 
since our passage does not teach that the seed 
of Abraham includes all mankind, it is there- 
fore no proof of universal salvation. Nor is 
it any link in the chain of such proof unless 
other passages prove that all mankind will 
finally possess faith and holiness. No such 
passages can be found ; but, could they be, 
then the passage under consideration would 
no longer be needed as proof of universal 
salvation. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, igfj 

3. It has also been inferred that, since 
Jesus will ''destroy him that hath the power 
of death, that is the devil," therefore all men 
without exception, will be saved. 

Should we take ''destroy" to mean "anni- 
hilate" the passage even then would not 
teach the final salvation of all men ; since 
there is no certain connection between Satan's 
annihilation, and the holiness of all those 
whom he has led into sin. The original mu- 
tineer may be killed, and yet others persist 
in the mutiny. Or, for all that our passage 
teaches to the contrary, both the devil and 
those who are of their father, the devil (John 
viii:44), may together be destroyed. 

But the passage does not teach the annihil- 
ation of the devil. The original word trans- 
lated "destroy" means "to render ineffective," 
"deprive of efficacy." Now, it was for the 
sake of "the children" that Jesus partook of 
flesh and blood, and, so far as is necessary to 
effect the deliverance of the children, our 
passage does teach that Christ will "render 
ineffective" the devil, but no further. When 
a man of war renders a pirate captain ineffec- 
tive by putting him into chains, it is not at 
all a necessary consequence that his willing- 
crew go free ; rather do captain and crew go 
together into chains. 



198 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

I John iv:8 : "God is love/' From the 
fact that God is love, together with the fact 
of his infinite power, the final salvation of all 
men has been inferred. That this inference 
is correct, no mortal man is able to prove. 
If correct, it is reasonable to think that 
Christ, the divine teacher, who gave the 
great proof of God's love, or John who as- 
serts that God is love, would have sanc- 
tioned it. Yet neither Christ, nor any New 
Testament writer, gives it his sanction. This 
absence of sanction by teachers sent ot God, 
certainly gives rise to reasonable doubt of its 
correctness. The argument from the love of 
God is employed with great frequency by 
every Universalist preacher, and great re- 
liance is evidently placed upon it ; yet 
throughout the whole New Testament — that 
revelation which is affirmed to have been 
given for the very purpose of teaching the 
final salvation of every man — the argument 
is not even once employed. How account 
for this omission ? Did Christ but half per- 
form his duty ? Yes, if Universalists are right. 
The statement of Christ that God is love, 
and therefore all mankind, without exception, 
will finally be saved — together with the omis- 
sion of certain orthodox arguments, would 
have made the Church of Christ Universalist 



I 



ik 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



199 



in doctrine beyond all earthly power of 
hindrance. The resurrected Christ who 
spake to the sad disciples till their hearts 
burned within them by the way, — the as- 
cended Christ who poured on the praying 
disciples the Pentecostal baptism of the Hol}^ 
Ghost and fire, — the glorified Christ who sat 
down at ''the right hand of the Majesty on 
high,'' and to whom all power in earth and 
heaven was given, could doubtless with pro- 
phetic vision distinctly trace the course on 
earth of his historical and blood-bought 
church. He knew that for sev^enteen or 
eighteen centuries every branch of that his- 
torical church — that faithful church which 
bore aloft through seas of blood the banner 
of the crucified, would reject as unscriptural 
and untrue the doctrine of universal salva- 
tion. By the lifting of a finger — by the 
speaking of a sentence — by a single volition, 
he could have written within and without on 
the walls of that church — on its doors and 
windows — on its pulpit and pews — on its 
foundation and its top stone, the sentence : 
*'God is love, and therefore all mankind, with- 
out exception, will finally be saved." But he 
did not. And why ? Because he did not 
prize as highly the character of God, or the 
welfare of man as Universalist preachers? 



200 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

No, but it is reasonable to believe, because 
the inference which that sentence contains, is 
unsound and false. Such a statement, if true, 
would certainly have shown on the part of 
Christ benevolence and love which would 
have gladdened the hearts of universal hu- 
manity, as no recorded statement of his has 
done. Now brother fears for brother, parent 
fears for child, and friend fears for friend. 
Now the tear starts in secret, and dying ones 
moan in agony. And the words of Christ have 
helped to make it so. To millions of thought- 
ful men who recognize in Christ a divine 
teacher, yet have not 3nelded to his claims, 
his words are often words of terror. Yea, 
how often has the sincere Christian, perhaps 
through causes beyond his control, passed 
hours of anxious thought, lest after all he has 
built for eternity, not on the rock, but on 
shifting sand, and in vain. Jesus has so 
shaped his teachings as to make probably 
ninety-nine out of every hundred believers 
in Christianity understand him to teach the 
doctrine of everlasting condemnation. Now, 
if he was sent of God, as Universalists af- 
firm, to teach the doctrine of universal salva- 
tion, it necessarily follows, either that he 
knew not how to convey his ideas by lang- 
uage, or that he was wilfully disobedient to 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 201 

God. But since neither of these alternatives 
is true, it follows of necessity that he was not 
sent of God to teach the doctrine of universal 
salvation. And therefore neither did he him- 
self, nor any disciple write on the page of in- 
spiration the sentence : ''God is love, and 
therefore all mankind will finally be saved." 

2. The argument proves too much. It 
affirms that all men will finally be saved be- 
cause they are creatures of God, who is love. 
Everything needed for their final happiness 
God will make sure. He does not save men 
because they comply with conditions pre- 
scribed, — because they are penitent for sin, — 
because they believe in Christ. He saves all 
men, notwithstanding all possible wickedness, 
because He is love. In short, no man can be 
so wicked as to avoid final salvation. The 
mercenary midnight assassin — the bloody 
murderers of the innocents at Bethlehem — 
the treacherous Judas — is just as sure to 
shine in endless glory as Paul, or John, or 
Christ. "So far as admission to endless glory 
is concerned, the saint and sinner stand on a 
perfect level." (O. A. Skinner.) 

"Do you ask me in what I trust the salva- 
tion of (all) men ? It is what j^ou or I or any- 
body can trust. It is an infinite love which 
can pardon according to the measure of our 



202 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

sins, a love which will reach far beyond our 
wickedness." (E. H. Chapin.) 

Moses tells us that ^'God saw everything 
that He had made, and behold it was very 
good/' The Psalmist that ''His tender mer- 
cies are over all his works." Now since God 
is love, and is infinite, He is love not to man 
alone (that would make him partial), but to 
all his sentient creation. And therefore if the 
fact that he is love makes the final salvation 
of all men certain, it also makes the final sal- 
vation of all serpents, grizzly bears, and mos- 
quitoes, certain. The argument is based 
neither on God's promise nor man's desert ; 
neither on moral or intellectual faculty in 
man, but on love in God. And therefore if 
that love, being infinite and impartial, will 
avail for man it will avail for monkey, and for 
all sentient creation ; since these sustain as 
really as man the relation of creature to a 
God of love. Jonah may repeat his unique 
three days' voyage in his animated submarine 
boat ; Du Chaillu may inform Gorilla that his 
shooting was for curiosity and fame, and not 
for any special dislike ; and Gorilla may ex- 
press his hearty satisfaction for his, though 
somewhat painful, yet speedy removal from 
a troublous world to the abodes of endless 
glory, where berries are plenty and hunters 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



203 



are scarce. Yet who knows but what Du 
Chaillu and the Western hunters who were 
too much for Grizzly, may have, in a land 
where guns and ammunition are no more, 
just a little suspicion that the disposition of 
their old foes may not have been even by the 
resurrection made utterly lamb-like, — may 
feel that it is not exactly safe to come within 
the sweep of those huge paws, lest by some 
possibility the old animosity might suddenly 
revive. It is indeed asserted in Scripture 
that *'the wolf and the lamb shall feed to- 
gether, and the lion shall eat straw like the 
bullock, and dust shall be the serpent's meat. 
The}^ shall not hurt nor destroy in all my 
holy mountain, saith the^ Lord." (Isa. 
lxv:25.) 

But if we should admit that this passage 
relates to all sentient beings, who can certify 
us that it has any relation whatever to a life 
beyond the grave ; that it is not an interpola- 
tion ; or if that be improbable, that the 
prophet being at the time of writing perhaps 
not fully under the influence of the inspiring 
spirit, may not have been somewhat mistaken. 
But whatever this or similar passages may 
mean, let us have no partiality m God. And, 
if the argument be sound, that all men, be- 
cause they are creatures of a God of love, 



304 ^^^ SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



will finally be saved, let that same argument 
be considered sufficient to prove the final 
salvation of all the fierce inhabitants of earth 
and air and sea. But since this strictly logi- 
cal conclusion is in the absence of positive 
revelation to that effect, untenable ; there- 
fore, the argument which conducts to such 
conclusion, is also untenable. 

3. The argument is based on an erroneous 
supposition. It takes for granted that the 
conduct of an infinite Being possessing a cer- 
tain attribute, can be determined with cer- 
tainty by the conduct of a finite being 
possessing the same attribute. And since an 
earthly parent loving his child would not 
(were it possible to avoid it) allow him to sin 
and suffer perpetually, therefore God who is 
love and is omnipotent, will not allow any 
being whom he has created to sin and suffer 
perpetually. Thus certain knowledge of the 
finite is affirm.ed to conduct to certain knowl- 
edge of the Infinite. A position impossible 
to be sustained, since the relation between 
the finite and the infinite cannot be under- 
stood by man. The folly of attempting to 
reason from the finite to the infinite is easily 
shown. An earthly parent wise, loving, and 
of sufficient power, would not allow a child to 
fall into habits of life such as would of neces- 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 305 

sity bring after them life-long suffering. 
Now if we can reason with certainty from 
the conduct of the finite to the conduct of 
the infinite, then God who is wise and loving 
and of sufficient power, does not allow any of 
his children by creation to fall into habits 
such as necessitate lifelong suffering. But 
undeniable facts show that God does allow 
his children by creation to fall into such 
habits. Some learn to love the intoxicating 
cup, some are trained to theft, profanity and 
impurity ; the intellectual and moral condi- 
tion of whole nations is low and degraded; 
*'The dark places of the earth are full of the 
habitations of cruelty,'' yet God allows it all, 
and has for generations. Now since the infi- 
nite God of love does in one instance what 
the finite loving parent would not do, there- 
fore in other instances — and in the matter of 
endless sin and suffering — infinite love may 
do what finite love would not do. There is 
philosophy as well as piety in Paul's excla- 
mation — ''How unsearchable are his judg- 
ments, and his ways past finding out ! " 

In closing our remarks on the argument 
from the love of God we offer the following 
syllogism : 

Major. Every father who is able to make 
his children as holy and happy without sub- 



2o6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

jecting them to crime and wretchedness as 
by so subjecting them, is a cruel father if he 
subject them to crime and wretchedness. 

Minor. The Father, God, who is able to 
make his children just as holy and happy 
without subjecting them to crime and 
wretchedness as by so subjecting them, does 
subject his children to crime and wretch- 
edness. 

Conclusion. Therefore, the Father, God, is 
a cruel Father. 

Now it is impossible to deny the truthful- 
ness of this conclusion without also denying 
the truthfulness of one of the premises. But 
since this conclusion is contrary to the first 
principles of Christianity, therefore the truth- 
fulness of one of the premises must be denied. 
Of which one ? Not of the minor, for both 
fact and Scripture teach us that, notwith- 
standing God's omnipotence, his human chil- 
dren are made subject to crime and wretch- 
edness. 

The major premise, then, must be in fault. 
What is that fault ? It is in asserting that to 
be true of the divine and infinite Father 
which can only be truthfully asserted of finite 
fathers. Now Universalism either does or 
does not assert that the action of the infinite 
Father toward his children, can be deter m 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



207 



ined by the action of finite fathers toward 
their children. If it does not, then it yields 
the argument from the Fatherhood of God. 
If it does, then it must accept as correct 
the conclusion that God is a cruel Father. 
But since no Christian can accept such a con- 
clusion as correct, therefore it is impossible 
to determine from the action of a finite father 
what will be the action of the infinite Father. 

Rev. xxi:3,4: ''The Tabernacle of God is 
with men, and he will dwell with them, and 
they shall be his people, and God himself 
shall be with them, and be their God. And 
God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes ; and there shall be no more death, 
neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there 
be an}^ more pain, for the former things are 
passed awa}-." 

That the blessings here promised do not 
relate to all mankind without exception, 
the 7th and 8th verses of the same chap- 
ter clearly show. Those who approve them- 
selves unto God shall experience the bless- 
ings ; while the fearful, the unbelieving, etc., 
'' shall have their part in the lake which 
burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the 
second death." And yet further the 15th 
verse of the 22d chapter clearly teaches that 
without the ''holy city" are specified classes 
of mankind which certainly are not saved. 



2o8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

The passages of Scripture which have just 
been examined fail, we beheve, to prove the 
doctrine of universal salvation. And 'that 
they do so fail, we further beheve, every per- 
son of discrimination and candor may readily 
perceive. Neither do we know, nor do we 
think our doctrinal opponents know any pas- 
sage of greater force as proofs of universal 
salvation than these which have just been 
considered. And here we might cease inves- 
tigation, and consider our proposition as 
proved. Because, as we have shown, men, 
after the judgment, are in a state of condem- 
nation ; because no man escapes from con- 
demnation but by Christ; and, because the 
passages we have examined, and there are no 
stronger, fail to prove that Christ will bring 
all men without exception, out of condemna- 
tion into reconciliation and favor. 

But since the Scriptures not only refrain 
from asserting the restoration of all mankind, 
but do also positively assert the endless con- 
demnation of those who through life reject 
Christ, we shall also notice some of those 
positive teachings. 

And as having a bearing on the endless 
condemnation of the wicked, since it throws 
light on the nature of the penalty of sin, we 
present first ; I Cor. xv:22. ''For as in Adam 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



209 



all die, even so in Christ shall all be made 
alive." 

Both parties affirm that the being *'made 
alive'* in Christ here spoken, is a life which is 
endless. But if the life in Christ is endless it 
follows of necessity that the death in Adam 
is also endless. We do not mean to affirm 
that those who die in Adam will never be 
released from endless death, for, through 
God's grace, a multitude which no man can 
number will be released from that death ; 
but, that the penalty of death in Adam is, in 
its nature, endless. A criminal sentenced to 
die, may by pardon escape the death, yet the 
escaping through p^ardon does not in the least 
degree change the nature of the penalty. So, 
even though a great riiultitude escape the pen- 
alty of endless death, that does not in the 
slightest degree change the nature of the 
penalty. 

Our thoughts on this passage will take the 
form of question and answer, as follows : 

1. When Paul says, ** As in Adam all die, 
even so in Christ shall all be made alive,' 
does the life fo which he refers contain the 
idea of endlessness? Ans. Yes. 

2. Is not the life in Christ a deliverance 
from the death in Adam ? Ans. Yes. 

3. When a prisoner is sentenced for two 
14 



2IO THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

years, can the Governor, accurately speak- 
ing, pardon him for ten years ? Ans. No. 

4. When the deliverance comes not by 
expiration of the time of imprisonment but by 
gracious pardon, does not the duration of the 
deliverance exactly correspond with the dura- 
tion of the unexpired time of imprisonment? 
Ans. Yes. 

5. Does the deliverance which Christ's 
people experience come by expiration of time 
of imprisonment, or, by gracious pardon ? 
Ans. By gracious pardon. 

6. Since the duration of a deliverance by 
gracious pardon exactly corresponds with the 
duration of the unexpired time of imprison- 
ment ; and since the deliverance which 
Christ's people experience comes by gracioys 
pardon, does not the deliverance which 
Christ's people experience exactly correspond 
with the duration of the unexpired time of 
imprisonment? Ans. Yes. 

7. Since the deliverance which Christ's 
people experience exactly corresponds with 
the duration of the unexpired time of impris- 
onment, and since the deliverance which 
Christ's people experience is endless, is not 
the duration of the unexpired time of impris- 
onment also endless? Ans. Yes. 

Now since the death in Adam is in its 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 21 1 

nature an endless death it follows of necessity 
that if any of Adam's race are not rescued, 
they must die endlessly. 

Another passage which throws light on the 
nature of the penalty of sin is Rom. vi:23 : 
'*The wages of sin is death, but the gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our 
Lord." The life here spoken of while spirit- 
ual, is still endless. It may and does begin 
this side ot the grave, but it also lasts forever 
beyond the grave ; as is plainly proved by 
the following statements of Jesus: ''Labor 
not for the meat that perisheth, but for that 
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, 
which the Son of man shall give unto you." 
(Jno. vi:27). ''And this is the will of Him that 
sent me that every one which seeth the 
Son and believeth on him may have everlast- 
ing life ; and I will raise him up at the last 
day.'' (Jno. vi:40). ''This is the bread which 
Cometh down from heaven that a man may 
eat thereof and not die. 1 am the living 
bread which came down from heaven. If 
any man eat of this bread he shall live for- 
ever." "Whoso eatethmy flesh and drinketh 
my blood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise 
him up at the last day." (Jno. vi: 50, 51, 54.) 
Here Christ connects with eternal life, not 
dying — living forever — being raised up at the 



212 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

last day, and in such a manner as clearly to 
teach that the eternal life which he bestows 
is endless in its duration. Now should this 
endless life not be secured, what remains 
of necessity for him who fails to secure it, 
but endless death ? Is it possible that intelli- 
gent men can fail to see that whoever does 
not obtain a gift is of necessity destitute of 
that gift, whatever it may be ? 

If a child in a family — a pupil in a school— 
a citizen in a state, does not receive a certain 
gift, what can be plainer than that he is neces- 
sarily destitute of it ? 

And surely there can be nothing in the 
mere fact that a gift comes from God to re- 
verse a necessity, and make that one who 
does not obtain a certain gift, does yet pos- 
sess that same gift. Now since the gift which 
comes from God is endless life, it necessarily 
follows that whosoever does not receive the 
gift, is destitute of endless life. And whoso- 
ever is destitute of endless life must have its 
opposite, which is endless death. But the 
opposite of the gift ot endless life, is the 
wages of sin, and therefore the wages of sin 
is endless death. 

Rom. vi:2i, 22, ''What fruit had ye then in 
those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? 
for the end of those things is death. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 213 

**But now being made free from sin, and be- 
come servants to God, ye have your fruit 
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." 

Here two ends are mentioned. The end of 
things sinful, which is death ; and the end of 
things obedient and holy, which is everlasting 
life. 

Now since these ends are ends of opposite 
courses of conduct, it is very plain that the 
ends themselves are opposites. And there- 
fore since the end of the one course is ever- 
lasting, that i^, endless life : the end of the 
other course must be endless death. And 
further, since the endless life pertains not to 
the holy things done, but to the doers of 
them ; so in like manner the endless death 
pertains not to the sinful things done, but to 
the doers of them. 

The penalty, then, of sin is in its nature 
endless. Let us now notice the teaching of 
Scripture that some of mankind, through wil- 
ful rejection of Christ, will not be rescued 
from the penalty, but will experience it in its 
endlessness, just as really as others will expe- 
V rience the life which is the gift of God in its 
endlessness. Gal. v:2. ^'Behold I Paul say 
unto you that if ye be circumcised, Christ 
shall profit you nothing.'* 

This language, while literal and strongly 



214 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



emphatic, is yet conditional. And the condi- 
tion we may reasonably suppose is not the 
mere fact of circumcision, since Timothy was 
circumcised by consent of Paul, but submis- 
sion to that rite for the purpose of being jus- 
tified in the sight of God. That Paul meant 
the rite as used for this purpose is also 
shown by the fourth verse, ''Christ is become 
of none effect unto you whosoever of you are 
justified by the law ; ye are fallen from 
grace." 

Now since the gospel teaches that justifica- 
tion before God is obtained alone through 
faith in Christ, it follows that whosoever 
seeks justification in any other way than 
through faith in Christ, is governed in his 
conduct by principles hostile to the gospel of 
Christ. And because of such hostility of 
principle the apostle uses the strong language, 
''Behold, I Paul, say unto you that, if ye be 
circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." 

The question now arises. Did any fulfilthe 
condition ? And on this question the history 
of the church throws light. Mosheim says 
(Bk. I, Cent. II, Part II, Ch v.), ^'This bod/^ 
of people who would unite Moses and Christ, 
was again divided into two classes, differing 
widely in their opinions and customs, the 
Nazareans and the Ebionites, The former are 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



215 



not reckoned by the ancient Christians among 
heretics ; but the latter are placed among the 
sects which subverted the foundations of 
reHgion. ^ ^ "^ Whether the Ebionites 
derived their name from a man [called Ebioti], 
or were so denominated on account of their 
poverty, either in regard to property or senti- 
timent, is uncertain. But the}^ were much 
worse than the Nazareans. For though they 
supposed Christ to be an ambassador of God 
and endowed with divine power, yet they 
conceived him to be a man, born in the ordi- 
nary course of nature, the son of JosepJi and 
Mary, They maintained that the ceremonial 
law of Moses must be observed, not by the 
Jews only, but by all who wished to obtain 
salvation ; and therefore St, Paul, that strenu- 
ous opposer of the law, they viewed with 
abhorrence." 

Neander says (Hist, of Chris. Rel. and 
Church), Vol. I, 342, 343): ''About the mid- 
dle of the second century we still find among 
the Christians of Jewish descent, the two 
parties which existed in the apostolic age. 
This is evident from a passage in the dialogue 
of Justin Martyr with Trj^pho. Two classes 
are here mentioned, — they who in their own 
practice united with the faith in Christ the 
observance of the Mosaic law, but without 



2i6 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

requiring the same observance of believing 
pagans, whom they acknowledged rather as 
genuine Christian brethren, and accounted 
worthy of all brotherly fellowship, notwith- 
standing that they maintained their original 
Christian freedom— and they who were not 
content with observing the Mosaic law them- 
selves, but were for forcing the pagan believ- 
ers universally to the same observance, and 
who refused otherwise to have fellowship 
with them ; thus proceeding on the assump- 
tion that the believing pagans, like all others, 
were unclean, and that without the observ- 
ance of the Mosaic law no man could be just 
before God. The former were the genuinely 
apostolic Jewish Christians, who had re- 
mained true to the pledge of agreement made 
at Jerusalem ; the latter belonged to that 
party with whose influence the apostle Paul 
has so often to struggle among the communi- 
ties of pagan Christians/' 

These historical extracts plainly show that 
some did fulfil the condition ; since it would 
be absurd to suppose that earnest Pharasaic 
Jews would labor for generations among 
nominal Christians, and yet succeed in mak- 
ing no perverts. It is true then of some that 
Christ shall profit them nothing. Now since 
the penalty of sin is endless death, and since 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 217 

no sinner can be saved but by Christ ; and 
since Christ shall profit these sinners spoken 
of, nothing, therefore, these sinners shall 
never be released from the penalty of endless 
death. 

II Cor. xi:i4, 15: "Satan fashioneth him- 
self into an angel of light. Therefore it is no 
great thing if his ministers also fashion them- 
selves as ministers of righteousness, whose 
end shall be according to their works.'* 
(Rev. Ver.) 

This passage is not presented in proof of 
future punishment to one who denies it, but 
in proof of the endlessness of future punish- 
ment to one who believes in future punish- 
ment, but denies its endlessness. Now, since 
a Restorationist (with whom alone we are 
now arguing) admits the doctrine of punish- 
ment beyond the grave, he must also, from 
that very fact, admit that the end of these 
wicked ones is experienced beyond the grave. 
For if their end, in accordance with their 
wickedness, is experienced altogether in this 
life, there can be no punishment subsequent 
to this life. Now, the end of these is their 
final state. And since their final state is to 
be in accordance with works of wickedness, 
that final state must be one of condemnation. 
And since there is no state beyond the final, 



2i8 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

that condemnation is never escaped from. In 
other words, it is endless. 

I Pet.iv:i7 : ''For the time is come that judg- 
ment must begin at the house of God. And 
if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of 
them that obey not the gospel of God ?'' 

Two classes of persons are here spoken of, 
sincere Christians, and those who live and 
die in disobedience. Their disobedience is 
the crime — their end is the penalty for their 
crime, and is therefore of necessity something 
different from, and subsequent to, their crime. 
And as their crime continued till their death, 
and as the penalty of crime is subsequent to 
crime, therefore their end — their penalty — is 
subsequent to their death. The end, then, of 
which the apostle speaks, is experienced, by 
the disobedient, in the life beyond the grave. 
And of course, the end, of good or bad, in 
the life beyond the grave, is their final con- 
dition. Now it is as plainly to be seen as the 
earth in daylight, that the apostle is speaking 
of the penalty of wickedness — is giving a 
warning — and a warning is given not con- 
cerning a good, but an evil. Therefore the 
final condition of the disobedient, in the life 
beyond the grave, is an evil condition. 

Phil. iii:i8, 19: '' For many walk of whom 
I have told you often, and now tell you even 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



219 



weeping, that they are the enemies of the 
cross of Christ. Whose end is destruction, 
whose god is their belly, and whose glory is 
in their shame, who mind earthly things." 

Whatever the apostle here means by ''end" 
{telos\ it is very plain that he does not mean 
anything which pertains alike to both the 
friends and the enemies of the cross, but that 
which pertains to enemies alone. He is ex- 
horting his hearers to faith and holiness ; he 
is dissuading them from unbelief and sin. 
And to influence them, he tells of the blessings 
of the one course, and of the evils of the 
other. And theretore the mentioning as a 
motive of anything to be unavoidably expe- 
rienced by both parties, is manifestly out of 
place. Therefore by ''end" he does not mean 
physical death, whether painful or otherwise, 
since that is experienced by both friends and 
foes of the cross. It is also evident that "end" 
{telos) is not to be understood in the sense of 
"purpose ;" since such meaning is inconsistent 
with the character of the god whom these 
enemies worshiped, and of the things on which 
their hearts were set. 

Nor does the context indicate that the tears 
of the apostle flowed for the sorrow to be en- 
dured on earth by these enemies of the cross. 
His description of them forbids the idea that 



220 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

they would be greatly troubled by moral 
considerations, and with persecution for the 
cause of Christ they would not, of course, be 
troubled. Nor can Restorationists, since they 
admit punishment in a future state, claim that 
the suffering over which Paul wept is con- 
fined to earth, but must admit that it is expe- 
rienced in a future state of existence. The 
''end'' {telos), then, is experienced beyond the 
grave. Remembering this fact, give now to 
*' end '' {telos) its ordinary meaning — termina- 
tion — completion — issue — which alone the 
context allows, and then Paul says: ''Enemies 
of the cross of Christ, whose issue or termi- 
nation or completion, is destruction." And, of 
course, if their termination beyond the grave 
be destruction, it cannot also be salvation. 

I Tim. viig: "But they that will be rich, 
fall into temptation, and a snare, and into 
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown 
men in destruction and perdition.'* 

Since not alone in the apostles' time, but in 
every century since, there have been men 
determined at all hazards to be rich, we pre- 
sume that no Restorationist will question the 
fact that the perdition of which the apostle 
speaks is actually experienced by men. 

Paul teaches the same fact also, when he 
says (Heb. x:39) • ** We are not of them who 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 221 

draw back unto perdition, but of them that 
believe to the saving of the soul/' 

Christ also teaches the same in John xvii:i2 : 
** None of them is lost but the son of perdi- 
tion \' and in Matt. vii:i3, 14 : '* Broad is the 
way that leadeth to destruction (or perdition) 
and many there be which go in thereat "^ ^ 
^ narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, 
and few there be that find it/' 

Those who do not find the way of life, of 
course, experience the perdition of which 
Christ speaks. 

The word in question is, in the original 
Greek, apoleid. Let us now endeavor to 
ascertain its meaning by noticing the pass- 
ages of Scripture in which it occurs. 

The disciples used the word when they 
said (Matt. xxvi:8, 9): "To what purpose is 
this waste? {Apoleia.) For this ointment 
might have been sold for much, and given to 
the poor ;'' and, as used by them, it clearly 
excludes all idea of a recovery, since the 
ointment once used was gone forever. 

The word in Mark. xiv:4, has the same idea 
of finality. 

In Acts viii:2o, Peter said to Simon : " Thy 
money perish — be to perdition, apoleia — with 
thee.'' Peter certainly did not mean to say, 
Lay it aside and I will take it by and by. 



232 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

In Acts xxv:i6, Festus said : '' It is not the 
custom of the Romans to deliver any man to 
die — to perdition, apoleia — before that he 
which is accused, have the accusers face to 
face.'^ 

Here the apoleia — perdition — means death, 
and of course has the idea of finaHty, since 
the Romans knew nothing of a physical res- 
urrection. 

In Rom. ix:23, Paul speaks of ** vessels of 
wrath fitted to destruction — apoleia — and ves- 
sels of mercy prepared unto glory f* and 
since the vessels of wrath are different from 
the vessels of glory, and since the glory of 
the vessels of mercy is final, therefore the 
destruction of the vessels of wrath is also 
final. 

In Phil. i;28, Paul says: ''And in nothing 
terrified by your adversaries, which is to 
them an evident token of perdition {apoleia)^ 
but to you of salvation, and that of God.'* 
Here certainly no hint is given that the per- 
dition is not final. 

Phil. iii:i8, 19: ''Enemies of the cross of 
Christ, whose end is destruction (apoleia)'' 
Here, very plainly, the destruction is final. 

II Thess. ii:3, 4 : " Let no man deceive you 
by any means, for that day shall not come 
except there come a falling away first, and 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 333 

that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- 
tion {apoleid), who oppose th and exalteth 
himself above all that is called God." Here, 
very plainly, the perdition is final. 

I Tim. virg: "But the}^ that will be rich, 
fall into temptation and a snare, and into 
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown 
men in destruction and perdition {apoleici)!' 
Here the word contains no idea of a resto- 
ration. 

Heb. x:39: "But we are not of them who 
draw back unto perdition (apoleia), but of 
tfiem that believe to the saving of the soul." 
Here the word contains no idea of a resto- 
ration. And if the doctrine of Restoration be 
true, those who drew back unto perdition, 
could have said to Paul and his believing 
companions: " We shall just as certainly be 
saved as you." 

. n Peter ii:i: "False teachers among you 
who privily shall bring in damnable heresies 
(literally, heresies of perdition) {apoleia) ; even 
denying the Lord that bought them, and 
bring upon themselves swift destruction '* 
(apoleia.) 

Since God uses true faith, not heresies to 
conduct men to salvation, and since it is un- 
scriptural to assert the denial of the Lord 
will bring swift restoration, therefore the 



224 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



word apoleia as here used, contains no idea of 
a restoration. 

II Peter ii:2 : ** And many shall follow 
their pernicious ways (literally their perdi- 
tions, apoleia), by reason of whom the way of 
truth shall be evil spoken of.'* Here cer- 
tainly the word contains no idea of res- 
toration. 

II Peter ii:3 : ** Whose judgment now of a 
long time lingereth not, and their damnation 
(apoleia) slumbereth not.'' As here used, the 
word contains no idea of a restoration. 

II Peter iii:/: **But the heavens and eartfi 
which are now by the same word kept in store, 
reserved unto fire against the day of judg- 
ment and perdition apoleia of ungodly men." 

The word, here, suggests no idea of a 
restoration. 

II Peter iii:i6: *'In which (epistles) are 
some things hard to be understood, which 
they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest, as 
they do also the other Scriptures, unto their 
own destruction apoleia. The context in- 
dicates that the perdition is final, since it 
compares their fate to the fate of beasts, say- 
ing (ii:i2) : ''But these as natural brute beasts, 
made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of 
the things that they understand not, and shall 
utterly perish in their own corruption." 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



225 



Matt. vii:i3, 14 : **Enter ye in at the strait 
gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the 
way that leads to destruction {apoleia), and 
many there be which go in thereat. Because 
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way 
which leadeth unto life, and few there be 
that find it." Here, since the force of Christ's 
reasoning depends upon it, the perdition is 
final. Yet, according to Restorationism, 
Christ at the very moment of uttering the 
statement, knew in his heart that every son 
of perdition, without exception, would find 
and enjoy the endless and blessed life by and 
by. According to Restorationism, Christ 
means to say : "Enter ye in at the strait 
gate ; for wide is the gate, and broad is the 
way that leadeth to ultimate restoration, and 
many there be which go in thereat. Because 
strait is the gate, and narrow is the wa}', 
which leadeth unto life, and few there be 
that find it." 

Or, in other words, ''Don't go the round- 
about way to heaven ; but take the direct 
road." And if such was his meaning, how 
singular his choice of words to express that 
meaning. 

Rev. xvii:8 : The beast that thou sawest, 
was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bot- 
tomless pit, and go into perdition," apoleia. 

15 



236 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Rev. xviiiii: *' And the beast that was, 
and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the 
seven, and goeth into perdition'* {apoleid). 
Surely the scarlet-colored beast, full of the 
names of blasphemy, when he goes into per- 
dition, does not by that very perdition expe- 
rience a process of restoration. The context 
also indicates the finality of the perdition, since 
it says (xx:io): ''And the devil that de- 
ceived them, was cast into the lake of fire 
and brimstone, where the beast and the false 
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and 
night, forever and ever." The original 
words translated ''forever and ever,'' are fre- 
quently used in ascriptions (jf praise to God, 
as follows : Gal. i:5 : "To whom be glory 
forever and ever ;" Phil. iv:20 : "Now unto 
God and our Father be glory forever and 
ever;" I Tim. in/: "Now unto the King 
eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise 
God, be honor and glory forever and ever ;" 
and do therefore contain the idea of endless 
duration. 

We have now noticed every passage in the 
New Testament, where apoleia occurs. 

And as a result of our investigation, we see 
that the Scriptural meaning of apoleia \^ a 
perdition with no idea of a restoration. 

But,' as has alread}^ been shown from 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 227 

Scripture, some of mankind experience this 
perdition, and therefore the doctrine of uni- 
versal restoration is untrue. 

And here though we have used the words 
aion, meaning an age, or eternity, and aion- 
ios, meaning everlasting, eternal ; only in an 
indirect way (as proving the endless salvation 
of believers, and the endless torment of the 
devil, the beast, and the false prophet, with- 
out asserting who these are), we might safely, 
with no further proof, consider our position 
as sustained. Yet since these words do 
have a bearing on the question, we notice 
them. 

In reference to aion we make the two fol- 
lowing statem.ents, which, if correct, do over- 
throw the doctrine of final restoration. 

First: — The word aion as used in the New 
Testament in the phrase eis ton aiona, always, 
without an exception, indicates an endless 
duration. 

Second. — The word aio7t as used in the 
phrase eis ton aiona, is employed in the New 
Testament to indicate the duration of the con- 
demnation of certain wicked ones. 

In proof of our first statement we invite at- 
tention to the following passages of Scripture 
in which the phrase occurs. 

Matt. xxi:i9 : '' Christ said unto the fig 



328 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tree : *'Let no fruit grow on thee hence- 
forward forever/* 

Mark xi:i4 : "Jesus said unto the fig tree : 
**No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever/' 

Luke i:55 • **As he spake to our fathers, to 
Abraham and to his seed forever/' 

John iv:i4: ''But whosoever drinketh of 
the water that I shall give him, shall never 
thirst/* 

John vi:5i : "If any man eat of this bread, 
he shall live forever/* 

John vi:58 : "He that eateth of this bread, 
shall live forever/* 

John viii:35, 51, 52: "And the servant 
abideth not in the house forever ; but the son 
abideth ever.** "If a man keep my saying he 
shall never see death/* Verse 52 is the same 
as 51 (so far as the phrase is concerned). 

John x:28 : "And I give unto them eternal 
life, and they shall never perish.** 

John xi:26 : "And whosoever liveth and 
believeth in me, shall never die." 

John xii:34 : "We have heard out of the 
law, that Christ abideth forever/* 

John xiii:8 : "Peter saith unto him, Thou 
shalt never wash my feet.*' 

John xiv:i6 : "And I will pray the Father, 
and he shall give you another Comforter, that 
he may abide with you forever/* 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



229 



I Cor. viii:i3 : **If meat make my brother 
to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world 
standeth** (literally forever). 

IlCor. ixrg: "His righteousness remaineth 
forever.'* 

Heb. v:6 : '*Thou art a priest forever after 
the order of Melchizedek.'' 

Heb. vi:20 : ''Jesus made a high priest for- 
ever, after the order of Melchizedek.'* 

Heb. vii:i7 and vii:2i are both the same as 
vi:20. 

Heb. vii:24 : "But this man, because he 
continueth forever, hath an unchangeable 
priesthood.'* 

Heb. vii:28 : "For the law maketh men 
high priests, which have infirmity ; but the 
word of the oath which was since the law, 
maketh the Son who is consecrated forever- 
more." 

I Peter i:23 : "The word of God which 
liveth and abideth forever." 

I Peter i:25 : "The word of the Lord en- 
dureth forever." 

I John ii:!/: "He that doeth the will of 
God, abideth forever." 

11, John ii : "For the truth sake, which 
dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever." 
The phrase "m ton aiona' in all these pass- 
ages clearly signifies an endless duration. 



230 



777^ SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Now, there are but two other passages in the 
New Testament in which the phrase occurs. 
And since both parties claim these two pass- 
ages, the one party as not being opposed by 
them, the other party as being supported by 
them, therefore the meaning of the phrase 
must be determined without at all consulting 
the two passages. But without consulting the 
two passages the meaning of the phrase ^'eis 
ton aiona'' is an endless duration, as has just 
been shown. 

We may now legitimately apply its ascer- 
tained meaning to the two disputed passages. 
One occurs in Mark iii:29, thus : *' But he 
that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, 
hath never forgiveness'* (literally hath not 
forgiveness forever, or for the endless dura- 
tion). The other occurs in Jude xiii : ''Wan- 
dering stars to whom is reserved the black- 
ness of darkness forever — eis ton aiona — for 
the endless duration." Should the divine 
authority of Jude be denied, that of Mark 
still remains, and then instead of some twenty- 
six undisputed passages determining the 
meaning of two disputed ones, those twenty- 
six passages determine the meaning of but one 
disputed passage. And that the blasphemy 
against the Holy Ghost referred to by Mark, 
was actually committed, Universalist divines 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



331 



themselves affirm. Rev. T. J. Sawyer, D.D., 
says (Discussion on Eternal Salvation, pp. 174 
and 175) : **The blasphemy against the Holy 
Spirit is the only exception. If we can find 
what that sin was, we know how far we can 
go and escape* endless damnation. By the 
Bible you will see that the Jews sinned in 
this way, because they ascribed the miracles 
of Christ to Beelzebub." 

Rev. J. M. Austin says (Debate on Endless 
Punishment, p. 702) : '' What is the sin 
against the Holy Ghost ? It consisted in as- 
cribing the power by which Jesus pej*formed 
his miracles, to an imaginary evil spirit — to 
Beelzebub, an idol which the heathen Ekron- 
ites worshiped as '*the god of flies" — instead 
of ascribing it to God. "^ ^ "^ Thus the 
sin was peculiarly ?ijezvish one. It was also 
a national sin. It was committed alone by 
those in whose midst Jesus performed his 
miracles." The sin then was actually com. 
mitted, and thus our second statement is 
shown to be correct. That statement is — 
that aion as used in the phrase ^'eis ton aiona,'' 
is employed in the New Testament to indi- 
cate the duration of the condemnation of cer- 
tain wicked ones. And since aion as used in 
that phrase, indicates, without an exception, 
an endless duration, therefore the condem- 



232 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



nation of certain wicked ones, is an endless 
condemnation. 

Respecting aionios we have three state- 
ments lo make, the correctness of which we 
shall endeavor to show as they are succes- 
sively announced. 

First, the general, if not universal, meaning 
of aionios, as used in the New Testament, is 
endless duration. In proof of this the follow- 
ing facts are offered : 

1. Aionios is used to indicate the duration 
of God's existence. Rom. xvi:26. *'Accord- 
ing to the commandment of the everlasting 
{aionios^ God.'* 

2. Aionios is used to indicate the duration 
of the Spirit of God. Heb. ix:i4, ^'Christ, 
who, through the eternal (aionios^ Spirit 
offered himself without spot to God." 

3. Aionios is used to indicate the dura- 
tion of the glory of God. I Peter v:io, **The 
God of all grace who hath called us unto his 
eternal {aionios) glory.'* 

4. Aionios is used to indicate the duration 
of the honor and power ascribed to the King of 
kings. I Tim. vi:i5, 16, **The King of kings, 
and Lord of Lords, who only hath immor- 
tality, dwelling in the light which no man can 
approach unto ; whom no man hath seen nor 
can see ; to whom be honor and power ever- 
lasting." {A ionios). 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 233 

5. Aionios is used as an equivalent to 
aion of the phrase eis ton aiona in which as 
has been shown, aion means an endless dura- 
tion. Mark iii:29. ''He that shall blaspheme 
against the Holy Ghost hath never (m ton 
aiona) forgiveness but is in danger of eternal 
{aionios) damnation.'* 

6. Aionios is used to indicate the duration 
of the habitations of the blessed in the life be- 
yond the grave. Luke xvirg. ''Make to your- 
selves friends of the mammon of unrighteous- 
ness ; ^that when ye fail, they may receive 
you into everlasting {aionios) habitations." W 
Cor. v:i, "For we know, that, if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we 
have a building of God, a house not made 
with hands, eternal {aionios) in the heavens." 

7. Aionios is used to indicate an endless 
duration in contrast to one which is but tem- 
porary. II Cor. iv:i8, "The things which are 
seen are temporal, but the things which are 
unseen are eternal {aionios)'' 

8. Aionios is used to indicate the dura- 
tion of the redemption which Christ obtained. 
Heb. ix:i2. "He entered in once into the 
holy place having obtained eternal {aionios) 
redemption." 

9. Aionios is used to indicate the life of 
the finally saved. Rom. ii:/. "To them who 



234 



7 HE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



by patient continuance in well doing seek for 
glory, honor and immortality, (God will 
render) eternal {aionios) life/* Rom. v:2i, 
**That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so 
might grace reign through righteousness unto 
eternal {aionios) life, by " Jesus Christ our 
Lord." Rom. vi:23, *'For the wages of sin is 
death, but the gift of God is eternal {aionios) 
life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.'* Jno. 
xvii:2. *'Thou hast given him power overall 
flesh that he should give eternal {aionios) life 
to as many as thou hast given him." 

These instances, which might easily be 
made more numerous, are fully sufficient to 
show the correctness of our first statement; 
that the general meaning of aionios, as used 
in the New Testament, is an endless duration. 
It is simply impossible for any Restorationist 
to select from the New Testament a list of 
subjects so various or of instances so numer- 
ous as has just been given, to which aionios, 
as signifying a limited duration, is applied. 
Indeed, though the word occurs some seventy 
times in the New Testament, we think it 
would be difficult to present proof sufficient 
to secure a reasonable belief that the word is 
used in the sense of a limited duration, more 
than three times out of the seventy. 

On this point Prof. Alex. McClelland says, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



235 



(Canon and Interpretation of the Scriptures 
p. 147): ''The adjective ^/^^^/^^j-, is commonly 
used by the Greeks for ^eternaF or 'ever- 
lasting/ and is the strongest term they can 
employ ; in this sense it is constantly used in 
the New Testament, with perhaps one or two 
exceptions.'* 

Our second statement is, thus: When 
aionios is applied to anything, which is not, 
from any source, known to be of limited 
duration, then aionios must be considered to 
have its usual meaning of endless duration. 

This statement is but the application to 
aionios of the universally acknowledged prin- 
ciple that, when no cause exists to the con- 
trary, words must be understood to have 
their ordinary meaning. Take an illustration 
or two of this very plain principle. Our 
friend Mr. A, borrows of his Restorationist 
friend Mr. B, just for a single day, his splendid 
carriage and horses. 

Now fancy if you can the feelings of Mr. B 
when his* friend coolly informs him that the 
single day for which the carriage and horses 
were borrowed is to be understood in the 
sense of a geological day (of some thousands 
of years) and that when that geological day 
draws to a close, he will endeavor to return 
the borrowed articles. 



236 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

Again, on the strength of Mr. A's repre- 
sentation that he is the owner, free of debt, 
of some fifteen houses in New York City, 
Mr. B. loans him ten thousand dollars. 
Fancy now, the rising indignation of Mr. B. 
on learning that the fifteen houses in New 
York City are toy houses, and might all be 
carried on the arm of a child. 

Should a government promise its disabled 
soldiers lifelong assistance, and then after- 
ward say, '' Yes, lifelong assistance was 
promised, but the lifelong is to be understood 
as meaning the life duration of an ephemera,'' 
what a juggling with words and promises 
this would be. 

Aionios, then, like all other words, is al- 
ways to be understood in its usual meaning 
of endless duration unless there is sufficient 
cause for understanding it in the unusual 
meaning of limited duration. But the only 
reason which any one gives why it should 
be thought to mean a limited duration is the 
temporary nature of the thing to which it is 
applied. On this point Rev. J. M. Austin 
says (Debate on Endless Punishment, p. 746), 
'^ I have repeatedly defined my position to be 
that, when applied to punishment, and other 
things which from their nature are tempo- 
rary, then aionios signifies a limited duration. 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 237 

But that when used in reference to the 
Deity, his attributes, or to anything con- 
nected with an immortal existence, it then 
convej^s a meaning of strictly endless dura- 
tion/' Here the only reason given why 
aionios means a limited duration, is, that the 
thing to which it is applied is of a temporary 
nature. No other valid reason can be given. 
Now since the usual meaning of aionios (as 
was shown under the first statement) is end- 
less duration ; and since nothing but the tem- 
porary nature of the thing to which it is ap- 
plied is sufficient to give it the meaning of 
limited duration, therefore in every case 
where our doctrinal opponents assert that it 
means but a limited duration, they are bound 
to show that the thing to which it is applied 
is of a temporary nature. 

For when any word, wherever occurring, 
is asserted to possess an unusual meaning, he 
who makes the assertion, if he would be be- 
lieved, is bound to give proof of its unusual 
meaning. And thus our second statement is 
shown to be correct. 

The third statement is thus : The destruc- 
tion of the wicked, to which in II Thess. iig, 
aionios is applied is not from any source, 
known to be of a temporary nature. *'Who 
shall be punished with everlasting destruc- 



238 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

tion/' — aionios olethros. Besides II Thess. 
i:9, the word olethros^ translated destruction, 
is used but three times in the New Testament, 
as follows: I Cor. v:5, "To deliver such an 
one to Satan for the destruction (olethros) of 
the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the 
day of the Lord Jesus/* 

Did Paul say, Deliver such an one to Satan 
for the destruction of the flesh that the (same) 
flesh may be saved, then the argument would 
be good that olethros here signifies but a tem- 
porary destruction. But that which is to be 
saved is a different thing from that which is 
to be destroyed. The one is the spirit, the 
other is the flesh. And the salvation of the 
spirit is no proof of the salvation of the flesh. 
For Paul frequently uses the term **flesh*' to 
signify, not material flesh, but corrupt nature; 
and since to understand it here in the sense of 
corrupt nature gives a good meaning it may 
here be used to signify corrupt nature. (See 
Rom. viii:8, 9, 13; Gal. vri/, 19,24). And 
then Paul says, *'To deliver such an one to 
Satan for the destruction of the corrupt na- 
ture, that the spirit may be saved in the day 
of the Lord Jesus." And our Restorationist 
friends certainly will not deny that, in order 
to have the spirit saved in the day of the 
Lord Jesus, the corrupt nature must be 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



239 



destroyed. Understood in this sense the 
connection is plain and even necessary, if the 
spirit be immortal, between the destruction 
of the flesh and the salvation of the spirit. 
But what necessary connection can be traced 
between the destruction of the material 
flesh and the salvation of the spirit? 

Therefore it is impossible to prove that the 
destruction here spoken of is not final. 

I Thess. v:3, ''For when they shall say, 
Peace and safety, then sudden destruction 
{plethros) cometh upon them." There is 
nothing here to indicate that the destruction 
is but temporary. And the context in verse 
9, by the contrast between wrath and salva- 
tion, indicates that the destruction is final. 

I Tim. viiQ, '' FooHsh and hurtful lusts 
which drown men in destruction (plethros) 
and perdition.'* Here the destruction is final 
since it is associated with a perdition 
{apolia) which has already been shown (pp. 
221-226) to be final. 

Luke xvi:i9-3i. ''There was a certain rich 
man, which was clothed in purple and fine 
linen, and fared sumptuously every day. 
And there was a certain be2:gar named Laz- 
arus which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 
and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which 
fell from the rich man's table ; moreover, the 



240 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

dogs came and licked his sores. And it came 
to pass that the beggar died, and was carried 
by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The 
rich man also died, and was buried ; and in 
hell (Hades) he lifted up his eyes, being in 
torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and 
Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and 
said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, 
and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of 
his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; for 
I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham 
said. Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime 
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Laz- 
arus evil things; but now he is comforted, 
and thou art tormented. And besides all 
this, between us and you, there is a great gulf 
fixed, so that they which would pass from 
thence to you, cannot ; neither can they pass 
to us, that would come from thence. Then 
he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that 
thou wouldst send him to my father's house, 
for I have five brethren, that he may testify 
unto them, lest they also come into this place 
of torment. Abraham saith unto him. They 
have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear 
them. And he said. Nay, father Abraham ; 
but if one went unto them from the dead, 
they will repent. And he said unto him, If 
they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



241 



will they be persuaded, though one rose from 
the dead." 

In the estimation of Universalists, includ- 
ing, we presume, Restorationists, this passage 
is not a history, but a parable ; and its teach- 
ings, they assert, have no application to exist- 
ence after physical death ; but apply exclu- 
sively to events of the earthly life. Rev. T. 
J. Sawyer, D.D., says (Discussion on Eternal 
Salvation p. 177), ''The rich man represented 
the Jewish nation. Lazarus represented the 
Gentiles. By their dying is meant the radi- 
cal change that took place in their condition 
and relations, at the abolition of Judaism and 
the establishment of Christianity. The Gen- 
tiles were received into the kingdom of 
Christ, while the Jews were cast out and sub- 
jected to punishment. The great gulf ex- 
presses the relation these people now sustain 
to each other. During these long centuries 
they have not passed over from one to the 
other." 

The following facts show that such an ex- 
position is untenable. 

1. It entirely ignores the rich man's five 
brothers who were yet living, and in their 
father's house had '' Moses and the prophets.'' 

2. It entirely ignores the best thing men- 
tioned respecting the dead rich man, i, e., his 

i6 



243 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



desire for the enlightenment and safety of his 
brothers. 

3. It asserts that the Jews as a nation rec- 
ognize the Gentiles as enjoying, in the king- 
dom of the Messiah, the blissful position of 
faithful and accepted servants of God, which 
is contrary to fact. 

4. It asserts that the Jews as a nation 
know^ and admit that they once possessed, and 
are now excluded from, the Messiah's king- 
dom on earth, which is contrary to fact. 

5. It asserts that the Jews as a nation 
affirm the existence on earth of a body of 
their brethren, far more numerous than them- 
selves, who are yet in possession of that king- 
dom of the Messiah from which they them- 
selves have been excluded, which is contrary 
to fact. 

6. It represents the known Jewish nation 
as asserting that this far m.ore numerous body 
of their brethren will repent, if believing 
Gentiles go unto them. But it does not ex- 
plain why repentance is more needful for the 
Jews who are in Messiah's kingdom, than for 
the Gentiles who are in the same kingdom. 

7. It gives no meaning to about one-half 
of the so-called parable. 

8. Paul, in Rom. xi:26, says, '' All Israel 
shall be saved ;" meaning by Israel, the Jews 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



243 



as a nation on earth ; but Abraham gives to 
the rich man in Hades no single word of hope. 
Therefore, even though the passage be a 
parable, the above exposition is untenable. 
And if it be a parable, no tenable interpreta- 
tion of it has yet been found. But assuming 
for the present that it is a parable, let us en- 
deavor to ascertain its bearing on the argu- 
ment. Each parable of Christ, all will admit, 
is designed to contain and to impart to those 
who understand it, some moral or religious 
instruction. And the question now arises, 
whether Christ ever allowed to enter into the 
composition of his parables any event out of 
harmony with the laws of matter or of mind ; 
any event either impossible or unreasonable. 
No one will assert that Christ in order to 
compose his parables was compelled to make 
use of events either impossible or unreason- 
able. He was a special teacher from heaven, 
and the resources of two worlds were at his 
control. And when we join to this fact both 
the truthfulness of Christ's character, and his 
design of religious instruction, it certainly 
seems reasonable to believe that he will allow 
no incident of his parable to be out of har- 
mony with natural or spiritual law. We do 
not mean to say that each event narrated in 
the parable actually occurred ; for instance, 



244 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



supposing our passage to be a parable, that 
the beggar and the rich man were his- 
torical characters, and that the sores of the 
one, when laid in his wretchedness at the 
other's door, were licked by dogs ; but that 
events similar to these — the fact of rich men 
and beggars — the fact of beggars being laid 
at rich men's doors — the fact of dogs licking 
sores of beggars in deep distress — not only 
may but must have occurred, or be considered 
as reasonable tO' occur, or Christ would never 
have allowed them a place in his parables. 
Let us now turn to the parables of Christ. 
Note the special events of the one relating to 
the sower. His going forth to sow—some 
seeds falling by the wayside — the fowls com- 
ing and devouring them — some falling on 
stony places, quickly springing up and quickly 
withering — some falling among thorns and 
being choked — others falling into good 
ground and bringing from thirty to an hundred 
fold; and each event is in perfect harmony with 
the actual experience of the sowers of that land. 
W. M. Thompson, D. D., for twenty-five 
years a missionary in Syria and Palestine, 
gives testimony on this matter as follows : 
'' The parable about sowing has here its illus- 
tration even in its most minute details. Be- 
hold a sower went forth to sow. There is a 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



245 



nice and close adherence to actual life in this 
form of expression. These people have ac- 
tually come forth all the way from June to 
this place. The expression implies that the 
sower in the days of our Saviour, lived in a 
hamlet, or village, as all these farmers now 
do ; that he did not sow near his own house, 
or in a garden fenced or w^alled, for such a 
field does not furnish all the basis of the par- 
able. There are neither roads nor thorns, nor 
stony places in such lots. He must go forth 
into the open country as these have done, 
where there are no fences; where the path 
passes through the cultivated land ; where 
thorns grow in clumps all around ; where the 
rocks peep out in places through the scanty 
soil ; and where also, hard by, are patches 
extremely fertile. Now here we have the 
whole four within a dozen rods of us. Our 
horses are actually trampling down some 
seeds which have fallen by this wayside, and 
larks and sparrows are busy picking them up. 
That man with his mattock, is digging about 
places where the rock is too near the surface 
for the plow, and much that is sown there 
will wither away, because it has no deepness 
of earth. And not a few seeds have fallen 
among this bellan, and will be effectually 
choked by this most tangled of thorn bushes. 



246 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

But a large portion, after all, falls into really 
good ground, and four months hence will ex- 
hibit every variety of crop, up to the richest 
and heaviest that ever rejoiced the heart even 
of an American farmer." 

In reference to the yield of a hundred fold 
Dr. Robinson speaks thus: *'I was greatly 
surprised when, discussing this question on 
the fertile plain of Esdraelon, to hear not 
merely the peasants, but intelligent gentle- 
men, who had rented the district from gov- 
ernment, stoutly maintain that they had them- 
selves, and that very year, reaped more than 
a hundred fold from part of that plain. I 
could not understand it until b}^ accident it 
came out that they had a peculiar mode of 
calculation. In sowing they allow one-third 
of the seed for the birds, particularly the 
crows, which settle down upon the fields in 
countless flocks. Another third is supposed 
to be destroyed by mice and insects, and only 
one-third of the seed sown, actually comes to 
maturity. Thus a man sows three bushels, 
and if he reaps an hundred, it is a hundred 
fold, according to his mode of calculation, 
but according to ours it would only be thirty- 
three. -^ ^ -^ Barley and wheat are sown 
side by side in the same field, but the former 
gives a much heavier crop than the latter. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



HI 



There is a kind of durrah — white maize — 
sown in this same region, which often returns 
several hundred fold. I have been assured 
by respectable farmers that they have gath- 
ered more than four hundred fold of this 
corn. ^ ^ ^ The supposition in the para- 
ble is history in the case of Isaac, who reaped 
a hundred fold in Gerar and ' in the same 
year.' " 

Note the particulars of the parable of the 
tares. The good seed sown by the owner — 
the tares secretly sown by his enemy — the 
tares appearing with the fruit — the question- 
ing of the servants — the reply of the owner — 
and they are all in thorough harmony with 
natural laws. 

Note the particulars in the parable of the 
mustard seed. The smallness of the seed — 
the greatness of the plant or tree when grown 
— the lodging of the birds in the branches — 
and they are all in harmony with the laws 
which govern in the case. 

The same harmony with the laws of nature 
prevails in the parable of the seed growing in 
secret, as recorded by Mark. The planting 
in the ground — the sleeping and rising of the 
planter night and day — the seed's unknown 
manner of growth — the earth's energy pro- 
ducing first the blade, then the ear, then the 



248 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

full corn in the ear, and the putting in of the 
sickle because the harvest has come. 

The same harmony with natural law pre- 
vails in every recorded parable of Christ. 
From mustard seed planted he never brings 
an oak. From good seed sown he never 
brings tares. From tares sown by an enemy 
he never produces wheat. Leaven hid in 
meal does not turn it into poison. The net 
cast into the sea catches fish, not Bibles. 
The lost sheep in its absence from the flock is 
not transformed into a lion. The father is 
glad because of the prodigal's repentance, not 
displeased. Every particular of the parables 
is in full accordance with reality and law\ 

When flies hold converse with oxen — when 
asses array themselves in lions' skins — when 
foxes by invitation dine with cranes — when 
trees go forth to anoint a king — when devia- 
tions occur from Nature's steadfast laws — 
these things pertain to fables ; or, to miracles, 
and not to parable. When Nathan narrated 
to King David his beautiful parable, it was 
accepted as actual history, so close was its 
resemblance to life. ''As the Lord liveth the 
man that hath done this thing shall surely 
die," said the king. And this resemblance to 
reality was really necessary in order to 
accomplish the design of the parable — to 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



249 



draw from the king the verdict of ''guilty," 
and to enable the prophet to speak those 
startling words, "Thou art the man/' 

The so-called parable of Jotham, in which 
events out of harmony with reason and law 
are narrated, is not a parable but a fable. Its 
design was not moral or religious instruction, 
but to set forth the folly of having Abimelech 
as king, while the design of the parable, 
alid most certainly as used by Christ, is, to 
those able to understand it, always moral or 
religious instruction. But how a moral, for 
religious uses, can be drawn from events 
both imaginary and discordant with natural 
law, is certainly somewhat difficult to under- 
stand. Such events are contrary to the very 
nature of a parable. Ever}- parable is a state- 
ment of something which resembles some 
other thing. And the interpretation always 
admits of being preceded b}^ a ''like," or "so" 
to indicate the resemblance. For instance. 
As a net cast into the sea, when full of fish, 
was drawn to shore ; the fish were sorted ; 
the good preserved, and the bad thrown 
away ; so at the end of the world, shall angels 
sever the wicked from among the just, and 
cast them into the furnace of fire. Now the 
thing which the parable teaches, is affirmed 
to be like the thing which is stated in the 



250 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



parable ; but it is impossible that the thing 
which the parable teaches can be like the 
thing which is stated in the parable if the 
latter be out of harmony with law ; since the 
former is certainly in harmony with law. 
And by no possibility can what is out of har- 
mony with law be like what is in harmony 
with law\ 

Whether the events narrated in a parable 
be imaginary or real is immaterial, but if ini- 
aginary they must necessarily, for the reason 
just given, be in harmony with reality and 
law — must be like what actually occurs. So 
far as the events of a parable are imaginary, 
so far of course it resembles in material a 
fable. But this clear distinction exists be- 
tween the two. A fable admits into the 
material of its composition events discordant 
with reality and law ; a parable, never. The 
events of a fable may be in harmony with 
realities ; the events of a parable must be in 
such harmony. 

With this idea of the nature of a parable, 
Trench in his *' Notes on the Parables " coin- 
cides. He says, p. 12, remarking on the defi- 
nition of a parable : *' And yet again, there is 
another point of difference between the 
parable and the fable. While it can never be 
said that the fabulist is regardless of truth, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



251 



since it is neither his intention to deceive, 
when he attributes language and discourse of 
reason to trees and birds and beasts, nor is 
any one deceived by him; yet the severer 
reverence for truth, which is habitual to the 
higher moral teacher, will not allow him to 
indulge, even in this sporting with the truth, 
this temporary suspension of its laws, though 
upon agreement, or at least with tacit under- 
standing. In his mind, the creation of God, 
as it came from the Creator's hands, is too 
perfect, has too much of reverence owing to 
it, to be represented otherwise than it really 
is. The great Teacher by parables, therefore, 
allowed himself in no transgression of the 
established laws of nature — in nothing mar- 
velous or anomalous ; he presents to us no 
speaking trees, or reasoning beasts, and we 
should be at once conscious of an unfitness in 
his doing so/' 

In addition to Trench, as confirming our 
idea of the nature of a parable, we cite the 
following authorities : 

Strauss, the great rationalist of Germany, 
says in his Leben Jesu, vol. i, p. (>Ty^ seq. (ac- 
cording to Trench, Notes on the Parables, p. 
179): '' While it is quite intelligible how the 
husbandmen should abuse and maltreat serv- 
ants of their lord, who came demanding rent 



252 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

from them ; it is inconceivable, and therefore 
could not find a place in a parable, of which 
the very condition is that it should have per- 
fect verisimilitude — that invited guests, how- 
ever unwilling to keep their engagement, 
should actually maltreat and kill the servants 
sent to remind them that the festival to which 
they were engaged, was read3\" We are 
now concerned, not at all with the purpose 
of Strauss in asserting that *' the very condi- 
tion of a parable is that it should have 'perfect 
verisimilitude,'' " buttnerely with the assertion 
itself. 

Fleming, as quoted in Worcester's un- 
abridged dictionary, says: "The difference 
between a parable and an apologue is, that 
the former being drawn from human life, re- 
quires probability in the narration ; whereas, 
the apologue being taken from inanimate 
things, or the inferior animals, is not confined 
strictly to probability. The fables of ^sop 
are apologues." 

Webster's unabridged dictionary says : '*An 
apologue differs from a parable in this: The 
parable is drawn from events which take 
place among mankind, and therefore requires 
probability in the narrative ; the apologue is 
founded on supposed actions of brutes, or in- 
animate things, and therefore is not limited 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



253 



by strict rules of probability, ^sop's fables 
are good examples of apologues/' 

We may then, from the foregoing reason- 
ing and testimony, legitimately conclude that 
no event of a parable of Christ can be out of 
harmony with either life or law. 

And now before applying our conclusion 
permit us to refer once more to the testimony 
of the Missionary Thompson. On the para- 
ble of the great supper recorded in Luke xiv : 
and which is so peculiarly oriental and differ- 
ent from our. Western customs, he thus re- 
marks: ''If a shiekh, beg, or emir invites he 
always sends a servant to call you at the 
proper time. This servant often repeats the 
very formula mentioned in Luke xiv:i7, Tefud- 
dulu el asha hader — Come, for the supper is 
ready. The fact that this custom is mainly 
confined to the wealthy and to the nobility is 
in strict agreement with the parable, where 
the certain man who made the great supper, 
is supposed to be of this class. 

It is true now as then that to refuse is a 
high insult to the maker of the feast, nor 
would such excuses as those in the parable be 
more acceptable to a Druse emir than they 
were to the Lord of this ''great supper;" but, 
however angry, very few would manifest 
their displeasure by sending the servants into 



254 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



the highways and hedges after the poor, the 
maimed, the halt, the blind. All these char- 
acters are found in abundance in our streets, 
and I have known rich men who filled out 
the costume of the parable even in these par- 
ticulars ; it was, however, as matter of osten- 
tation, to show the extent of their benev- 
olence, and the depth of their humility and 
condescension. Nevertheless, it is pleasant 
to find enough of the drapery of this parable 
still practiced to show that originally it was, 
in all its details, in close conformity to the 
customs of this country.*' (Land and Book, 
Vol. I, pp. 178, 179.) 

And now since Christ in the parable of the 
rich man and Lazarus, if it be a parable, 
represents a soul as, after physical death, suf- 
fering torment in Hades ; and also that a 
fixed and impassable gulf prevents the suffer- 
ing soul from passing over into bliss; and 
since no event of an}^ parable of Christ is out 
of harmony with either life or law, therefore 
some souls after physical death do suffer tor- 
ment in Hades, and a fixed and impassable 
gulf does prevent souls which suffer after 
physical death from passing over into bliss. 

Thus it is seen that the passage taken as a 
parable bears the same testimony as when 
taken as. a history ; since the representations 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



255 



of the parable must be in accordance with 
fact. But, whether taken as a parable or a 
history it alike bears powerful testimony 
against the theory of final restoration. The 
lost soul suffers — the way of even a slight 
relief is blocked by a fixed and impassable 
gulf — and in response to supplication Abra- 
ham himself gives no single word of hope. 

But here our Restorationist friends may 
remind us that, according to I Cor. xv:55, 
Hades is to be defeated ; and may infer that 
in consequence of that defeat all sufferers in 
Hades will be freed from suffering. Hades 
will indeed be defeated, and could it be 
proved that subjection to the power of Hades 
is the sole cause of suffering beyond the 
grave, then the argument would be decisive 
that, on the defeat of Hades by all subject to 
its power, all suffering will cease. But since 
Christ after his physical death experienced no 
suffering ; and yet after his physical death 
was subject to the power of Hades, therefore 
subjection to Hades is not the sole cause of 
suffering beyond the grave. And conse- 
quently release from Hades through its defeat 
does not terminate all cause of future suffer- 
ing. And here it is proper to inquire as to 
the nature of the triumph over Hades which 
they are to gain who have been subject to its 



256 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

sway. Hades in I Cor. xv:55, as we have 
already ascertained (p. 119) means not the 
place of endless woe, but the world of the 
dead. As the world of the dead Hades 
is defeated and destroyed by a univer- 
sal resurrection of the dead. But its total 
defeat by a universal resurrection furnishes 
no argument against endless perdition, un- 
less the resurrection of the wicked dead 
necessitates their moral change from wicked- 
ness to holiness. But the Scriptures teach 
that neither in reference to the evil nor the 
good does the resurrection after physical 
death involve a change of moral character. 
Not in reference to Christ, for though 
he was raised with a holy character, yet 
he was holy when he died. Not in ref- 
erence to those who sleep in Jesus, for 
they were believers when they died. Not 
in reference to the wicked dead, for Christ 
says in John v:28, 29, " All that are in 
the graves shall hear his voice and shall come 
forth ; they that have done good unto the 
resurrection of life ; and they that have done 
evil unto the resurrection of damnation.'* 
And none will affirm that they have holy 
characters who come forth into the resurrec- 
tion of damnation. We freely admit that the 
resurrection of I Cor. xv. is a blessed resur- 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



257 



rection ; but in that resurrection the wicked 
dead have no part. It is confined to those 
who are accepted in Christ. 

That. resurrection of the wicked, therefore, 
which occurs after their ph3\sical death, leaves 
unchanged their moral character. In wicked- 
ness they die ; in wickedness the}^ are raised 
from death. 

The total defeat of Hades, therefore, by a 
universal resurrection brings the wicked no 
nearer salvation than they were before. 

And this fact furnishes an excellent reason 
why x\braham when supplicated by the soul 
suffering in Hades gave to the sufferer no 
words of hope. For, though sympathy may 
have invited, truthfulness would not allow. 

Mark xiv:2i : ''The Son of man indeed 
goeth as it is written of him ; but woe to that 
man by whom the Son of man is betrayed ! 
good were it for that man if he had never 
been born." This statement of Jesus was 
made respecting an historical personage, and 
is, of course, to be regarded as true. 

Yet on the theory of Restorationism, it can 
by no possibility be true. What living man 
w^ould not endure the restorative, the healing 
sorrow of a day, inflicted under the eye of a 
loving God, for the joy of a lifetime? 

Not one. If Judas ever escape from the 

17 



258 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

woe pronounced upon him, then the pain of 
that woe must possess a definite duration. 

Should we call that duration a thousand 
years, then the healing sorrow of that thousand 
years would certainly be more than balanced 
by ten million years of joy. Should his res- 
toration require ten thousand years, then the 
restorative pains of that ten thousand years 
would be more than balanced by a hundred 
milHon years of joy. We do not know that 
any Restorationist believes a longer time 
than ten thousand j^ears will be required in 
the case of any sinner for the completion o^ 
the restorative process: but should it be 
thought to require even a tl^uisand million of 
years, or the longest limited duration, even 
that long time would be far outbalanced by 
the strictly endless duration of happiness to 
follow. And therefore the truth of Jesus' 
words cannot be sustained on the theory of 
Restoration. 

And since those words are true, therefore, 
the theory of restoration is false. But as any 
one may see, the words of Jesus are in perfect 
harmony with the belief that Judas is never 
to be restored from his doom. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



259 



Proposition VIII, Methods of interpretation 
which are used to make the Scriptures teach the 
final salvation of ally do also when applied to other 
passages y make the Scriptures teach the final con- 
demnation of so7ne (or all), but since these are 
contradictory doctrines, and since the Scriptures 
being revelations of a God of truth, do not teach 
contradictions^ therefore, such methods of inter- 
pretation are wrong. 

As instances of such wrong methods, we 
give the following : 

I. Applying to mankind universally what 
is intended but for a portion of mankind. 

Rev. xiii: 14-17 is thus: '* And deceiveth 
them that dwell on the earth by the means of 
these miracles which he had power to do in 
the sight of the beast ; saying to them that 
dwell on the earth, that they should make an 
image to the beast which had the wound by 
a sword, and did live. And he had power to 
give life unto the image of the beast, that the 
image of the beast should both speak and 
cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast, should be killed. And he 
causeth all, both small and great, rich and 
poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in 
their right hand or in their forehead. And 
that no man might buy or sell, save he that 



26o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the 
number of his name." 

Notice the apparent universality of the ex- 
pression, '' He causeth all, both small and 
great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive 
a mark." Now, in the case of an advocate of 
universal restoration finding in the Script- 
ures a passage asserting the salvation of all as 
strongly as the above passage asserts, that all 
receive a mark, who is there that does not 
believe he would present that passage as a 
proof of universal salvation? Not one. 

Yet noticg now what is said in Rev. xiv: 
9-1 1, of them who receive the mark : '*And 
the third angel followed them, saying with a 
loud voice, ' If any man worship the beast 
and his image and receive his mark in his 
forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink 
of the wine of the wrath of God, which is 
poured out without mixture into the cup of 
his indignation ; and he shall be tormented 
with fire and brimstone in the presence of 
the holy angels, and in the presence of the 
Lamb. And the smoke of their torment as- 
cendeth up forever and ever ; and they have 
no rest day or night who worship the beast 
and his image, and whosoever receiveth the 
mark of his name." Now this last passage 
clearly shows that all in the former passage 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 361 

did not mean all universally ; but simply all 
without exception who were spoken of, and 
that they were many. And the same method 
of interpretation that teaches that the above 
passage or a similar one means all men uni- 
versally, makes the Scriptures teach that all 
men universally are tormented with fire 
and brimstone in the presence of the holy 
angels and the Lamb ; and that "- the smoke 
of their torment ascendeth up forever and 
ever/' This is certainly too bad for a world 
into which Christ has come. 

2. Reasoning from God's creatorship, or 
from his Fatherhood through creatorship, or 
through covenant with special ones to uni- 
versal salvation. Isa. Ivii:i6: ''For I will 
not contend forever, neither will I be always 
wroth ; for the spirits should fail before me, 
and the souls which I have made." Now if 
this passage means eternal salvation, it 
means the eternal salvation of the humble 
and contrite ones mentioned in the previous 
verse ; not the eternal salvation of all men 
without exception. That it will not do to 
reason from the Creatorship of God or his 
Fatherhood through Creatorship to uni- 
versal salvation, Isa. xxviiiii clearly shows. 
*' For it is a people of no understanding ; 
therefore he that made them will not have 



262 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

mercy on them, and he that formed them 
will show them no favor/' If he will show 
them no favor they very certainly will never 
reach heaven. But since God made all men 
and says of all men, **There is none right- 
eous, no not one ; there is none that un- 
derstandeth," and since, being an impartial 
God, he will deal with them all upon the 
same principle, therefore he will show not 
one of them **favor," and then very certainly 
not one of them will ever reach heaven. 

But this out-Herods Herod, and is cer- 
tainly too bad for a world into which Christ 
has come, and in which he has a people who 
are ''called and chosen and faithful.'* 

3. Taking passages out of their proper 
connection and meaning. 

God says, I John iiiriS, '' No murderer 
hath eternal Ufe ;" but a murderer is one who 
has committed a murder ; therefore God 
says — no one who has committed a murder 
hath eternal life. And since God changes 
not, therefore He always says — no one who 
has committed a murder hath eternal life. 
And since God speaks truth, therefore no one 
who has ever committed a murder shall ever 
have eternal life. Of course by this wrong 
method of interpretation the Scriptures teach 
the final condemnation of some. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 263 

Now the final condemnation of some (or 
all), and the final restoration of all are con- 
tradictions ; but since the Scriptures, being 
revelations of a God of truth, do not teach 
contradictions, therefore the above methods 
of interpretation which are used to make 
them so teach, are wrong. And since with- 
out using one or more of the above wrong 
methods ol interpretation, it is impossible to 
make the Scriptures teach the doctrine of the 
final restoration of all, therefore, they do not 
teach that doctrine. 

It is somewhat remarkable that the advo- 
cates of universal salvation combine all the 
above wrong methods in their interpretation 
of Isa. Ivii:i6. 

They also tell us with one breath that the 
Old Testament does not reveal the doctrine 
of immortality, and with another breath that 
not only the doctrine of immortality, but 
also a blessed immortality for every child of 
Adam, is revealed in Isa. Ivii:i6. By some 
very convenient apparatus the same fountain 
flows hot and cold. 

To further illustrate the folly of interpret- 
ing passages when they are isolated from 
their context, we quote from a journal the 
following sentence, ''Its resistless momentum 



264 '^H^ ^CklPTVRAL VIEW 

will annihilate us."* Get now, if you can, 
the idea which the writer means to convey 
by that sentence. 

You doubtless think that he is referring to 
some fearful principle or power whose oper- 
ation brings death or annihilation. And 
the certainty of annihilation is the idea which 
the sentence most naturally conveys. Yet 
the writer believes in, and is referring to*'Uni- 
versalism," and means by "us,*' those of his 
own faith. 



Proposition IX, The teachings of Nature do 
not favor the idea that mankind universally 
will attain unto holiness and happiness. 

John Ruskin, a man whose eminent intel- 
lectual abilities have the ear of the world, 
speaks as foUovvs: '* I understand not the 
most dangerous, because most attractive form 
of modern infidelity, which, pretending to 
exalt the beneficence of the Deity, degrades 
it into a reckless infinitude of merc}^ and 
blind obliteration of the work of sin; and 
which does this chiefly by dwelling on the 
manifold appearances of God's kindness on 

* Rev. E. W. Reynolds in "The Ambassador." 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 265 

the face of creation. Such kindness is indeed 
everywhere and always visible, but not 
alone. Wrath and threatening are invariably 
uiingled with the love ; and in the utmost 
solitudes of nature, the existence of Hell 
seems to me as legibly declared by a thou- 
sand spiritual utterances as that of Heaven. 
It is well for us to dwell with thankfulness 
on the unfolding of the flower, and the falling 
of the dew, and the sleep of the green fields 
in the sunshine, but the blasted trunk, the 
barren rock, the moaning of the bleak winds, 
the roar of the black, perilous, merciless 
whirlpools of the mountain streams, the 
solemn solitudes of moors and seas, the con- 
tinual fading of all beauty into darkness, and 
of all strength into dust ; have these no lan- 
guage for us? We may seek to escape their 
teachings by reasonings touching the good 
which is brought out of all evil ; but it is 
vain sophistry. The good succeeds to the 
evil as day succeeds the night, but so also 
the evil to the good. Gerizim and Ebal, 
birth and death, light and darkness, heaven 
and hell, divide the existence of man and his 
Futurity." 

Rev. E. H. Chapin, D. D., a preacher of 
that Univeralism which believes in a limited 
punishment in the future life, speaks as 



266 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

follows: ^'Nature is not sufficient for us. 
We want to know what, if anything, exists 
behind nature, and works through nature. 
^ * Sometimes in our thoughts there may 
arise the awful specter of a world without 
supervision, and without a controlling mind ; 
a theater of unsubstantial forms, a domain of 
terrible and resistless forces, whose order is 
unguided by any sympathetic purpose, and 
in whose march we are trampled into 
annihilation. * "^ * Or if intellectual 
speculations do not stagger us, we may be 
troubled by moral doubts and fears. The 
evidences of divine goodness which are 
given us in the sunshine and the rain, may 
be counterbalanced by the instances of ca- 
lamity and suffering which are so plentiful 
before our eyes. For not even the most 
genial nature — not one disposed to look upon 
the world with*happiest eye, can deny the 
dark spots with which it is clouded ; can 
deny that there are shades of mystery brood- 
ing over its deep places. And in conceiving 
of God, in trying to reach the conclusion 
that God is good, how many instances of 
perplexity, of seeming incongruity steal in to 
darken and overcloud our conviction and 
take away our faith in it. We look upon the 
earth, and it is as thickly strewn with the 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 267 

graves of the dead, as it is with the habita- 
tions of the living. It is teeming with in- 
stances of decrepitude and decay, as well as 
of life and development. And with all the 
rest, man, in any healthy state of his whole 
nature, in anything like a susceptible condi- 
tion of his being, is conscious of sin. The 
universal consciousness is, that we are not 
wholly right within ; that we have not 
walked perfectly and truly in the way that 
conscience dictates. And since that distinc- 
tion between the right and the wrong, under 
a too frequent preponderance of the wrong in 
our acts, prevails within us, the thought 
sometimes springs up, that we may be 
separated from God — that God may bb 
alienated from us. * * * If then, by our 
reason, we have attained the conception that 
there is a God — a God that cares for us — we 
have this feeling troubling us in that concep- 
tion.'' * * * (Sermon on John iii:i6, in 
The Ambassador). "- 1 ask any man looking 
at the processes of sin — any thinking man 
who has ever looked beyond the surface of 
life ; any man who has looked into his own 
heart, and felt the struggling forces contend- 
ing there ; any man who has ever felt the 
pressure of affliction bowing him to the 
earth — any man who knows the evil as well 



268 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

as the good in his nature — I ask him if he 
does not want to know just this thing con- 
cerning the great God, that he loves him, 
and that he sent his only begotten Son into 
the world "that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish but have everlasting life." 
—Ibid. 

Rev. I. D. Williamson, D. D., a preacher 
of that Universalism which believes in no 
punishment after death, speaks as follows: 
'*The future is dark and gloomy to the mind 
that is not enlightened by the knowledge of 
Christ. The grave yawns in darkness at our 
feet, and what awaits us beyond that narrow 
house, no mortal man can tell.** 

R. W. Emerson, in an essay on Fate, 
speaks as follows : '^Nature is no sentiment- 
alist, — does not cosset or pamper us. We 
must see that the world is rough and surly, 
and will not mind drowning a man or 
woman ; but swallows your ship like a grain 
of dust. The cold, inconsiderate of persons, 
tingles your blood, benumbs your feet, 
freezes a ^man like an apple. The diseases, 
the elements, fortune, gravity, lightning, 
respect no persons. The way of Providence 
is a little rude. The habit of snake and spider, 
the snap of the tiger and other leapers and 
bloody jumpers, the crackle of the bones of 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 269 

his prey in the coil of the anaconda, — these 
are in the system, and our habits are like 
theirs. You have just dined, and however 
scrupulously the slaughter house is concealed 
in the graceful distance of miles, there is 
complicity, — expensive races, — race living at 
the expense of race. The planet is liable 
to shocks from comets, perturbations from 
planets, rendings from earthquakes and vol- 
cano, alterations of climate, precessions of 
equinoxes. * * * At Lisbon an earth- 
quake killed men like flies. At Naples, three 
years ago, ten thousand persons were crushed 
in a few minutes. The scurvy at sea ; the 
sword of the climate in the west of Africa, 
at Cayenne, at Panama, at New Orleans, cut 
off men like a massacre. Our Western prairie 
shakes with fever and ague. The cholera, 
the smallpox have proved as mortal to some 
tribes as a frost to the crickets, which, hav- 
ing filled the summer with noise, are silenced 
by a fall of the temperature of one night. 
Without uncovering what does not concern 
us, * * * the forms of the shark, the 
labrus, the jaw of the sea-wolf paved with 
crushing teeth, the weapons of the grampus, 
and other warriors hidden in the sea, — are 
hints of ferocity in the interiors of nature. 
Let us not deny it up and down. Providence 



270 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



has a wild, rough, incalculable road to its 
end, and it is of no use to try to whitewash 
its huge, mixed instrumentalities, or to dress 
up that terrific benefactor in 'a clean shirt and 
white neckcloth of a student of divinity. 
Will you say the disasters which threaten 
mankind are exceptional, and one need not 
lay his account for cataclysms every day? 
Aye, but what happens once, may happen 
again, and so long as these strokes are not to 
be parried by us, they must be feared/' 

We now go back of the Christian era and 
give the testimony of two most eminent 
heathen philosophers. 

Plato in his Phaedon represents Socrates as 
thus discoursing shortly before his death : 
''My friends, there is still one thing which it 
is very just to believe, and this is, that if the 
soul be immortal, it requires to be cultivated 
with attention, not only for what we call the 
time of life, but for that which is to follow — 
I mean eternity ; and the least neglect in this 
point may be attended with endless conse- 
quences. If death were the final dissolution 
of being, the wicked would be great gainers 
by it, as being delivered at once from their 
bodies, their souls, and their vices ; but as 
the soul is immortal, it has no other means of 
being freed from its evils, nor any safet37^ for 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 271 

itself, but in becoming very good and very 
prudent ; for it carries nothing away with it 
but its good or bad deeds, its virtues or vices, 
which are commonly the consequence of the 
education it has received, and the causes of 
eternal happiness or misery. When the dead 
are arrived at the fatal rendezvous of de- 
parted souls whither their dasmon conducts 
them, they are all judged. ^ -^ ^ Those 
who are judged to be incurable on account 
of the greatness of their crimes, who deliber- 
ately and wilfully have committed sacrileges 
and murders, and other such great offences, 
the fatal destiny that passes judgment upon 
them, hurls them into Tartarus, from whence 
they never depart." 

In his Republic I. V., Plato speaks thus : 
'' When one supposes himself near the point 
of death, there enter into his soul fear and 
anxieties respecting things before unheeded. 
For then the old traditions concerning Hades, 
how those who in this life have been guilty 
of wrong, must there suffer the penalty of 
their crimes, torment his soul. He looks 
back upon his past life, and if he finds in the 
record many sins, like one starting from a 
frightful dream he is terrified, and filled with 
foreboding fears." 



272 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



Let US now notice some testimonies given 
in their last hours by certain wicked men. 

Voltaire the infidel exclaims, *'I am aban- 
doned by God and man.'' ^'Doctor, I will 
give you half of what I am worth if you will 
give me six months' life." And on the 
doctor's replying, " Sir, you cannot live six 
weeks," said, ^'Then I shall go to hell." 

Francis Spira exclaimed : *' Who can succor 
a soul oppressed by a sense of sin, and by the 
wrath of God? It is Jesus Christ alone who 
must be the physician, and the gospel is the 
only antidote." '*My sin is greater than the 
mercy of God. I have denied Christ volun- 
taril}^ and against my convictions. I feel 
that he hardens me and will allow me no 
hope." '4t is a fearful thing to fall into the 
hands of the living God." '' I feel the 
weight of his wrath burning like the pains of 
hell within me, and pressing on my con- 
science with an anguish which cannot be 
described." 

Charles IX, iCing of France, who sanc- 
tioned the massacre of St. Bartholomew, by 
which perhaps 50,000 people were murdered 
in cold blood, said in anguish on the death 
bed, '*Ah, my nurse, my dear nurse, what 
blood, what murders ! Oh, what evil counsels 
I have followed ! Oh my God, pardon me, 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



273 



and have mercy on me if thou canst. I know- 
not what I am. What shall I do? I am lost. 
I see it well." 

Francis Newport, infidel, in his last hours 
said : ''Would you be informed why I am 
become a skeleton in three or four days? 
See then how I have despised my Maker and 
denied my Redeemer; I have joined myself 
to the atheists and profane, and continued 
this course under many convictions, till my 
iniquity was ripe for vengeance, and the just 
judgment of God overtook me when my 
security was the greatest, and the checks of 
my conscience w^ere the least. How^ idle is it 
to bid the fire not burn when fuel is adminis- 
tered, and to command the seas to be smooth 
in the midst of a storm! Such is my case." 
To an inquiry of a friend as to his condition 
he replied, ''Lost forever." He continued, 
"Ah, the forlorn hopes of him that has not 
God to go to ! Nothing to fly to for peace 
or comfort. God is become my enemy, and 
there is none so strong as to deliver me out 
of his hands. He consigns me over to eternal 
vengeance, and there is none able to redeem 
me ! Were there such another God as 
he who w^ould patronize my cause ; or were 
1 above God, or independent of \\\m ; could I 
act or dispose of myself as I pleased ; then 
18 



274 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



would my horrors cease, and the expectations 
and designs of my formidable enemies be 
frustrated. But oh, this cannot be, for I — 
Oh, the insufferable pangs of hell and damna- 
tion." 

One whom Dr. Young names Altamont, in 
his last hours said thus: ''Remorse for the 
past throws my thoughts on the future ; 
worse dread of the future strikes them back 
on the past. I turn and turn, and find 
no rav. Didst thou feel half the mountain 
that is on me, thou wouldst struggle with the 
martyr for his stake, and bless heaven for the 
flame ; that is not an everlasting flame — 
that is not an unquenchable fire." ''My prin- 
ciples have poisoned my friend ; my ex- 
travagance has beggared my boy ; my un- 
kindness has murdered my wife ! And is 
there another hell? Oh! thou blasphemed, 
yet most indulgent Lord God! Hell itself is 
a refuge, if it hide me from thy frown." 

Here we have Orthodox, Universalist and 
infidel alike testifying that nature does not 
teach that mankind universally will attain to 
final happiness. 

Here we have philosophic heathen affirming 
that endless retribution awaits, beyond the 
grave, the extremely wicked; and that the 
wicked, when thinking themselves near death, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



275 



are terrified and filled with foreboding fears. 
Here we have the wicked in their dying 
hours believing and exclaiming that they are 
going to an endless hell. Where shall we find 
better interpreters of nature? If those who 
believe in Revelation be suspected of preju- 
dice, what shall be said of the infidel, the 
heathen, and the dying? 

So far is nature from teaching a blessed 
immortality to every child of Adam that she 
teaches no immortality at all. She does 
through certain mental powers and natural 
facts point to a future life, but whether that 
life is unending or not, no mortal ear ever 
heard nature tell. 

The utmost that nature teaches on the sub- 
ject of human happiness is, that so long as 
man is continued in existence and lives in 
harmony with certain of nature's laws, hap- 
piness results from that harmony; and that 
so long as man is continued in existence and 
lives out of harmony with certain of nature's 
laws, pain results from that lack of harmony. 
Nature has no heart. She gives pain just as 
readily as she gives pleasure. She says, In 
this way of life be happy — in that way of life 
be wretched — take your choice. Nature is 
just as impanial as the Universalist's God. 
She will drown a babe of days as quick as a 



276 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

pirate. She will roast a pious missionary as 
quick as a dark skinned cannibal. She will 
pinch with hunger a St. Paul as quick as a 
Nero. She will kill a president Lincoln as 
quick as a Wilkes Booth. And does such a 
mistress teach a universal and immortal 
happiness? 

Nay, she teaches just as Revelation teaches, 
that a certain amount of infraction of laws 
designed for happiness brings death — death 
forever. 

A finger, an ear, a head cut off, nature 
never restores. Life destroyed by poison or 
bullet she never rebuilds. Occasionally in 
India she starves some half a million of hu- 
man beings to death, not one of them has she 
ever brought back to life. Through the long 
generations she has fertilized the earth with 
dead human bones ; when has she clothed 
them with flesh and beauty ? 

When nature is seen to inflict none but a 
beneficial pang to the individual; when seas 
refuse to drown shipwrecked sailors; when 
flames of fire refuse to scorch innocent chil- 
dren ; when laws of gravitation refuse to 
dash into pieces on the lower rocks the unfor- 
tunate who has fallen from the precipice; 
when the now deadly poison refuses to act 
on the physical frame of the would be sui' 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



277 



cide ; when nature rectifies all human errors 
and heals all human woes, then, and not till 
then, assert that she teaches the final happi- 
ness of universal man. 



Proposition X, Endless punishment, though 
it be a fact, does not prove that God is unjust. 

The following statements of Universalists 
show their views on the punishment of sin: 
'' The punishment of sin is swift, sure and 
inevitable." '' So far from destroying the 
fear of retribution, Univ^ersalism quickens 
it, by showing that the punishment of sin 
cannot be avoided. ' (Mr. Whittemore, Plain 
Guide, pp. 262, 263.) " No man can by any 
possibility escape the just punishment of his 
sins." (Mr. Williamson, Exposition of Uni- 
versalism, p. 65.) *' Justice will have all its 
demands; every man shall suffer to the full 
extent of his deserts. There is no remission 
of sin, either on account of the Saviour's 
death, or the sinner's penitence." (Mr. Skin- 
ner, Univ. lUus., p. 249.) ** It [the Bible] 
never teaches the forgiveness or remission of 
punishment for sins committed. It is the 
forgiveness of sins ; by which is^ understood, 



278 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

the blotting out, or cleansing from, after due 
justice is administered/' (Mr. Fernald, Univ. 
against Partialism, p. 259.) "- The person who 
has been forgiven has suffered the proper 
punishment of his sins." (Mr. Skinner, Univ. 
lUus. and Defen., p. 252.) '' We are the only 
denomination who beheve that all sin will be 
punished." (Mr. Williamson, Exp. of Univ., 
p. 15.) 

The above statements imply or assert the 
following: i. That man is a sinner. 

2. That God has punished, does punish, or 
will punish each individual sinner personally 
to the full extent of his deserts. 

3. That though God has thus punished 
sinners on earth from the time of Adam's first 
sin until now, and will thus punish sinners 
on earth from now until the resurrection 
hour, yet he is still a just God. 

Now, since every sinner must receive his 
full desert of punishment, it necessarily fol- 
lows that such sinners as do not receive their 
full desert of punishment in this life, must 
receive some punishment in the next life. 
From this conclusion there is no escape. The 
inquiry now arises, Do all sinners without ex- 
ception receive their full desert of punish- 
ment in this life? 

I. Let us notice some instances in which 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



279 



sinners were taken out of this life while they 
were still wicked. 

The inhabitants of Sodom were sinners of 
this class. At the time of Abraham's petition 
for the guilty city there were not ten right- 
eous within it. And no one will claim that, 
after the petition and before the destruction, 
all the inhabitants ceased from all wickedness. 

But if not then at the moment of their de- 
struction the inhabitants were committing 
sin. Now, should the opposers of future 
punishment affirm that physical death is a full 
punishment of all sin, it would in this case be 
an untrue affirmation. 

For the physical destruction of the Sod- 
omites was determined upon because of sins 
before the prayer of Abraham. And conse- 
quently the full punishment of their last sin 
could not be that same physical death. And 
the question now arises, Do the Scriptures 
teach that the punishment of a special act of 
sm terminates at the time in which that 
special act terminates? And unless the 
affirmative of this question can be shown, 
punishment continues after death. Now, the 
Scriptures in every single instance in which 
the punishment of sin is referred to, teach us 
that the punishment does not terminate with 
the act of sin, but continues sharp and severe 



28o THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

long after that act terminates. Cain exclaim- 
ing that his punishment is greater than he can 
bear ; Jacob's exile and suffering in conse- 
quence of his act of deception ; the brethren 
of Joseph saying one to another, long 3^ears 
after their crime, **We are verily guilty con- 
cerning our brother;'' the punishments of 
Adam and Achan ; of Haman and Jezebel ; of 
the Jewish nation and of ev^eryday life, all 
teach us that the punishment of sin does not 
terminate with the act of sin. But if it be 
affirmed that all the punishment which God 
designs to inflict upon the sinner, does ter- 
minate with the special act of sin, then, in 
accordance with that design, throw open the 
doors of your prisons; call off your detect- 
ives from the track of the robber and the 
murderer; erase from your law books every 
penalty for crime; abolish every national 
agreement for the suppression of piracy; lift 
not a finger for the suppression of rebellion ; 
for why shall mere man punish him whom 
God has already punished to the full? 

But since punishment for sin does not ter- 
minate with the act of sin, therefore, the 
punishment of the last sins of the Sodomites 
reached or will reach into the life which is 
subsequent to physical death. And since 
this punishment which reaches the Sod- 



OP DIVINE GRACE. 281 

omites subsequent to their physical death is 
just, therefore God is just in inflicting it. 

The same mode of reasoning will apply to 
the antediluvians perishing in the deluge ; to 
every wicked man killed in his w^ickedness ; 
and to every impenitent man dying under the 
sentence of the Almighty. 

Thus the very doctrine which disbelievers 
in future punishment have by unnatural inter- 
pretations wrenched out of the Scriptures — 
the doctrine that no sinner can escape his full 
desert of punishment even though he truly 
repent, and truly beheve in Jesus Christ — the 
doctrine which was designed to explode, and 
which they assert does explode the doctrine 
of Christ's atonement, does itself explode 
their own system. They are '' hoist with 
their own petard." 

That our conclusion is correct concerning 
the punishment of the Sodomites in the future 
state, the Saviour teaches in a passage before 
referred to : *' It shall be more tolerable for 
Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment 
than for that city." 

2. VVe now notice certain persons who 
have departed this life by their own hands. 

The public journals lately stated that a 
criminal arrested in the city of New York 
attempted first to shoot the arresting officer, 



282 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

but failing through the snapping of the cap, 
placed the muzzle of the pistol in his own 
mouth and killed himself. Now since no one 
will affirm that every criminal who takes his 
own life is so exceedingly crazy as to be en- 
tirely free from responsibility, we will take 
for granted that there was responsibility in 
the case of this criminal. Placed in a pain- 
ful position by his own fault, he commits an 
additional crime by attempting to kill an 
innocent officer, and then a further crime by 
killing himself. Now should we even admit 
that conscience and detection had sufficiently 
punished him for the crime for which he was 
arrested, what shall be said of the attempt to 
kill the officer; and of the actual killing of 
himself ? Those who deny that punishment is 
inflicted in the future state, also deny that 
repentance and faith in Christ can free the 
transgressor from the slightest penalty of his 
transgression. They affirm that the sinner 
must suffer in his own person, the full penalty 
of his sin. 

Now in what possible way did this criminal 
receive before death the full penalty of both 
his attempt to kill, and his actual self-kiHing? 

The whole affair was momentary, and if 
the full punishment of the attempt to kill, and 
the self-killing was experienced in the short 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 283 

space of time between the snapping of the 
cap and his own death, then there is no es- 
cape from the conclusion that God has at- 
tached but a very sHght penalty for such 
crimes. Why, a good and conscientious 
little child will suffer more from a decayed 
tooth, or from disobedience to some parental 
command, than that murderer and suicide suf- 
fered between his attempt to kill and his death- 
Now let us make the supposition that the 
cause of this criminal's arrest was actual mur- 
der; that for months he had succeeded in es- 
caping arrest ; that at the time of his arrest 
he actually murdered the policeman ; that in 
this last murder he contracted guilt as great 
as in the first, and that immediately after 
killing the policeman he killed himself. 
Now, in this supposed case, while the guilt 
of the two murders is equal, and of necessary 
consequence the penalty also equal, the pen- 
alty suffered for the first murder is far 
greater than the penalty suffered for the 
second murder. The one may have been 
endured five months, the other not five 
seconds. In this case what makes up the 
full penalty of the second murder ? Not the 
pains of physical death. These Paul and 
even Jesus experienced. Not death itself ; 
this the best of men do not escape. Not the 



284 I'HE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

speediness of death; for, according to the 
deniers of future punishment, the more 
speedy the death the more speedily ter- 
minates all penalty and all suffering. Noth- 
ing makes it up ; and if their affirmation that 
no sinner can escape the full penalty of his 
sin, be true, then, by necessary consequence, 
it follows that sinners like this sinner suffer 
or will suffer just punishment in the life sub- 
sequent to physical death. 

The cases of Ahithophel and Judas Iscariot 
are quite similar. Both committed a crime 
and soon afterward died by their own hands. 
And the statement of the Saviour respecting 
the latter, 'Tt had been good for that man if 
he had not been born,'' confirms the con- 
clusion which we have reached, that some 
sin is justly punished in the life beyond the 
grave. Now wherever to a finite being there 
comes punishment for sin, there, apart from 
God's promise to the contrary, it is perfectly 
reasonable to conclude that additional sin 
may be committed. Now God has in the 
Scriptures given no promise that a person 
dying in impenitence shall not commit sin in 
the future life. 

And further, a person thus dying, and in 
the future life receiving just punishment, 
must love God with all his heart — must be 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 



385 



perfectly holy, or he cannot but sin. For this 
love and this holiness God always commands. 
And anything less than a perfect obedience 
to the command of God is sin. But if the 
man died unreconciled to God, what, between 
the moment of his death and the moment of 
his punishment in the future state, made him 
perfectly holy ? No promise of this perfect 
holiness is given to such an one in the 
Scriptures. Does the mere fact of physical 
death impart to them this perfect holiness? 
There is no reason to believe it. And there 
are passages in the Scriptures which oppose 
it. The sin unto death for which we are not 
commanded to pray: The sin against the 
Holy Ghost which shall be forgiven neither 
in this world nor in the world to come. The 
resurrection unto damnation, which under a 
previous proposition we have showed that 
Christ taught : The belief of the martyred 
son and saint that Antiochus would have no 
resurrection unto life : The assertion of Paul 
that at Christ's second coming the wicked 
shall be punished with everlasting destruc- 
tion from the presence of the Lord and the 
glory of his power — ^these make the doctrine 
anti-scriptural. But being anti-scriptural, it 
is untrue. Therefore when in the next life 
the punishment begins, the one punished is 



286 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 

unholy. But every moral being during 
every moment of unholiness is committing 
additional sin. And every additional sin 
deserves additional punishment. And thus 
apart from the regenerating power of God, 
it will continue forever. Now since we have 
no authority in nature or Scripture for 
believing that God will in the next life regen- 
erate — make holy those sinners who in the 
earthly Hfe reject Jesus Christ and the Holy 
Spirit ; since there is a sin unto death ; — 
since the end of some sinners is according to 
their works ; since the end of some sinners 
is destruction ; since at Christ*s second com- 
ing some sinners will be punished with ever- 
lasting destruction from the presence of the 
Lord and the glory of his power, therefore 
God may never regenerate those who in the 
next life are unholy. But if God never 
regenerate them they will sin as long as they 
live. Therefore God may punish them as 
long as they live, and still be just. They may 
live forever, therefore God ma}" punish them 
forever and still be just. 

We add a series of questions and answers 
on somewhat kindred topics. The answers 
are thought to be such as either reason or the 
principles of his own belief will necessitate a 
Restorationist to give. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 



287 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 

1. Is the love of God for moral agents 
originated and regulated by their moral 
\Aorth, or by the principles of his own 
nature? Ans. By the latter. 

2. Will the principles in the nature of God 
which originate and regulate his love for 
moral agents ever change ? Ans. No. 

3. Since the principles of the nature of 
God which regulate his love for moral agents 
will never change, have we any reason what- 
ever, apart from revelation, for believing 
that moral agents will be dealt with any 
more favorably at any future time than they 
are now ? Ans. No. 

4. Does not the God of infinite love now 
allow his moral creatures to commit sin and 
incur punishment in consequence of the com- 
mission of sin ? Ans. Yes. 

5. Since the God of infinite love does 
now allow his moral creatures to commit sin 
and incur consequent punishment, should the 
time ever arrive when he does not allow his 
moral creatures to sin and incur consequent 
punishment, will he not deal more favorably 
with his moral creatures then than now ? 
Ans. Yes. 

6. Since, revelation apart, we have no 
reason for believing that God will at any 



288 THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW ' 

time deal more favorably with his moral 
creatures than now ; and since should the 
time come when it can be truthfully said, 
*'He does not allow his moral creatures to sin 
and incur consequent punishment," he will 
deal more favorably with them then, than 
now, have we, apart from revelation, any rea- 
son for believing that such time will ever 
arrive? Ans. No. 

7. Since apart from revelation, we have 
no reason for believing that such time will 
ever arrive, have we any reason apart from 
revelation for believing that sin and conse- 
quent suffering will ever cease? Ans. No. 

ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 

1. Does God always, without exception, act 
in harmony with his attributes? Ans. Yes. 

2. Do any of God's moral creatures sin 
against him ? Ans. Yes. 

3. Is God's suffering moral creatures to 
sin against him in harmony with his at- 
tributes? Ans. Yes. 

4. Is God a being of infinite perfection ? 
Ans. Yes. 

5. If God changes not, must not that 
which is in harmony with his attributes now, 
be in harmony with his attributes always? 
Ans. Yes, 



OF DIVINE GRACE, 289 

6. Will God change ? Ans. No. 

7. Since the infinitely perfect God changes 
not, and since his suffering moral creatures 
to sin against him is in harmony with his 
attributes now; for how long a duration 
must his suffering moral creatures to sin 
against him be in harmony with his attributes ? 
Ans. Forever. 

ON THE BEST RESULT. 

1. As a creature of God does man, through 
his whole existence, receive what God deems 
best, or what man deems best? Ans. What 
God deems best, 

2. Does what God deems best always 
agree with what mandeems best ? Ans. No. 

3. Can, then, what man deems best be a 
rule to decide what God deems best? Ans> 
No. 

4. If then, man deems it best that all man- 
kind be brought to final holiness and happi- 
ness, does man's deeming it best prove that 
God deems it best? Ans. No. 

5. Since man receives through his whole 
existence not what he deems best, but what 
God deems best ; and since man's deeming 
final universal holiness and happiness best 
is no proof that God so deems, is man's 
deeming final universal holiness and happi- 

19 



290 



THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW 



ness best, any proof of final universal holiness 
and happiness ? Ans. No. 

ON THE DIVINE ELECTION. 

1. Does God design that all men shall 
believe in Christ in the temporal lif.e ? Ans. 
No. 

2. Does God design that some men shall 
believe in Christ in the temporal life? Ans. 
Yes. 

3. Which is the happier in this life, 
the believer or the unbeliever? Ans. The 
believer. 

4. Which enters eternity in the, more 
desirable condition, the believer or the 
unbeliever? Ans. The believer. 

5. Does not the believer then have the 
advantage both in this life and in eternity, 
over the unbeliever? Ans. Yes. 

6. Who caused that the believer has an 
advantage both in this life and in eternity, 
over the unbeliever ? Ans. God. 

7. Could not God have caused all men in 
this life to have equal faith in Christ, and to 
enter eternity under circumstances of equal 
desirableness? Ans. Yes. 

8. Does not God then deal more favorably 
in this life and the next, with some men than 
with others? Ans. Yes. 



OF DIVINE GRACE. 291 

9. Since God does deal both in this life 
and the next, more favorably with some men 
than with others, is not such dealing perfectly 
consistent with all God's attributes ? Ans. 
Yes. 

ID. Since God is perfect and unchange- 
able, is not his dealing more favorably with 
some men than with others forever, perfectly 
consistent with all God's attributes ? Ans. 
Yes. 

11. Is not God's dealing more favorably 
\<^ith some men than with others forever the 
very principle of the doctrine of divine elec- 
tion? Ans. Yes. 

12. Since God's dealing more favorably 
forever with some men than with others is 
perfectly consistent with all his attributes ; 
and since God's dealing more favorably for- 
ever with some men than with others is the 
very principle of the doctrine of the divine 
election, is not the very principle of the 
doctrine of divine election perfect^ con- 
sistent with all God's attributes? Ans. 
Yes. 

13. Is not that principle reasonable which 
is perfectly consistent wnth all God's at- 
tributes? An?. Yes. 

14. Is not he who denies the reason- 
ableness of a principle w^hich is perfectly 



292 SCRIPTURE VIEW OF DIVINE GRACE. 

consistent with all God's attributes himself 
unreasonable? Ans. Yes. 

15. Since he who denies the reasonable- 
ness of a principle which is perfectly con- 
sistent with all God's attributes, is himself 
unreasonable ; and since the principle of the 
doctrine of the divine election is perfectly 
consistent with all God's attributes, is not he 
who denies the reasonableness of the prin- 
ciple of the doctrine of the divine election 
himself unreasonable? Ans. Yes. 

And now, as humanity stands amid a thou- 
sand dangers, there comes to listening ears a 
2.W(:^ saying, '' I am tlie good Shepherd; I am t lie 
resurrection and tlie life; before Abraham was, 
I am; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and 
behold I am alive forever more. Come unto me 
all ye that labor and are heavy laden a7id I zvill 
give you rest'' Through the grace of 
Almighty God may it be the happy expe- 
rience of everv reader of this little book to 
hear and heed that loving voice. 

Swinging to and fro, to and fro, 

The pendulum doth go, 
And soon the day is gone. 
Swinging to and fro, to and fro, 

The day and night doth go. 
And soon this life is done. 



761 



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